


Domestic Disturbance

by WaxRhapsodic



Category: X-Men (Movies), X-Men - All Media Types, X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) - Fandom, X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: (Referenced) - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern: Still Have Powers, Domestic Violence, Erik Logic Is The Best Logic, First Meetings, Getting Together, Kid Fic, M/M, Neighbors, Single Parents
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-31
Updated: 2017-11-23
Packaged: 2018-04-29 02:29:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 40
Words: 79,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5112896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WaxRhapsodic/pseuds/WaxRhapsodic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Suddenly there came a violent pounding on the door, he felt no metal on the person on the other side of the door, not even a phone. It was odd to say the least.</p><p>The pounding came again this time accompanied by a posh voice begging for, “Help, please help us!” There was true fear in that masculine voice and Erik was on his feet and headed to the door before he registered that he was moving.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a not for profit fan work, I do not own any of the characters or properties mentioned herein.

10:59pm

Erik woke with a start, heart pounding, drenched in a cold sweat, not sure what had woken him in the dead of night. It didn’t feel like his usual nightmares, but he could be wrong.

Suddenly there came a violent pounding on the door, he felt no metal on the person on the other side of the door, not even a phone. It was odd to say the least.

The pounding came again this time accompanied by a posh voice begging for, “Help, please help us!” There was true fear in that masculine voice and Erik was on his feet and headed to the door before he registered that he was moving.

Glancing out the peep hole he saw a handsome, clean shaven man with bright blue eyes holding a miniature version of himself in the form of a little boy still sleepily rubbing his eyes.

Erik cracked the door open and glanced out, suddenly aware that he was only wearing black boxer briefs, “Can I help yo-"

“I’m sorry about this my friend,” the other man replied pushing past Erik with an ease that astounded the metal bender. He realized that he had moved out of the way unconsciously- and apparently closed and locked the door.

He switched the light on with his power and quirked an eyebrow at the smaller man huddled in his foyer still clutching the tiny boy who looked on the verge of falling asleep in spite of his father’s panic.

“Telepath?” He asked, wiping a hand sleepily across his face, now that the panic had died down, exhaustion was creeping back in. 

“Yes,” came the sheepish reply, “I’m sorry to do that, but I only had a few moments until-" a door slammed open just down the hall, Erik was surprised by the force behind the push, it had loosened the hinges from the frame.

He raised both eyebrows in surprise, adrenaline surging through him, causing him to wake up again, “Is that for you?”

“Yes, if you could let us stay here for a while, just until she calms down?”

Erik could feel metal-a necklace, moving the other way down the hall at an almost stalking pace.

“She, your wife?” “

“My girlfriend, Davey’s mother.”

“I don’t mean to be a boss, but shouldn’t we call the police if she’s a danger to you?”

“I would but, I don’t honestly know if they can handle her, she’s a mutant you see and very strong. It’s not usually a problem, but she’s… different when she drinks.”

“Well, maybe she shouldn’t drink.” Erik sniped, bad memories flooding his mind from his own father’s addiction, the terror for himself and his mother, trying to protect her and his younger sister from his wrath. 

Some of what he was thinking must have filtered through to the other man because his face crumpled in sympathy, “Oh my friend, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to bring my trouble to your door.”

Erik shook off his apology gruffly, “No way you could have known.” Then a thought crossed his mind, “You’re a telepath aren’t you? Why can’t you make her stop when she get like this?”

“I do, I did, I put her to sleep and grabbed Davey, an aspect of her mutation is that telepathic influence wears off rather quickly.” The smaller man replied cagily looking around Erik’s sparsely furnished living room.

Erik sighed and gestured to the sofa, “please have a seat, I’m Erik by the way.” 

“Pardon my manners I’m Charles, Charles Xavier,” he shuffled his son to one arm and extended his hand towards Erik. 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Charles, and you Davey.” He shook their hands in turn, earning a two toothed grin from the boy and a sweet smile from his father.

The Xavier’s sat on the sofa while Erik darted down the hall to his room to pull on sleep pants and a singlet. After a moment’s hesitation he grabbed a soft toy from one of the many unpacked boxes in the second bedroom and took it with him to rejoin his unexpected guests.

Davey happily grabbed the proffered toy and stuffed its foot in his mouth with a squeal of delight. He seemed to be fully awake at this point, and Erik wondered if Charles had somehow been keeping him quiet in order to escape their home.

“I was, yes.”

Erik startled as Charles answered his unasked question, “Do you often read people’s minds without their permission?” he asked, more amused than offended.

Charles blushed and absently ran his fingers through his son’s hair, “No, never actually, I don’t usually let myself get this tired or this stressed. When I get like this it’s harder to maintain my shields, even through the suppressants.”

Erik frowned, “Suppressants?”

“Well, yes, I’m a very powerful telepath, the most powerful on record if you can believe it, I take suppressants to make R-people feel more comfortable.”

He had nearly said a name.

“Humans?” Erik asked curious as to why such a powerful mutant would bend a knee to societal norms, Charles laughed at the question.

“Oddly enough, no, I’ve had more issues with mutants concerned with my power- I have a theory that to baseline humans, all mutants are the same level of good/bad/scary but to mutants, once they meet someone more powerful than themselves they sort of panic.”

An twinge of inkling flared in Erik’s mind, “So when did you present?”

“Oh, birth, like Davey here.” David looked up at the mention of his name before turning his attention back to mauling the toy. 

“So maybe not the most powerful for very much longer,” Erik teased gently even as he drew a genuine smile from Charles.

The necklace had moved back down the hall, but taken the elevator down to the street level.

“How are you doing that? Keeping her away from my door?”

“I’m channeling a bit off David to be honest, I hate having to do so, but well I’m not at full power.”

“Is she?”

“Oh Regina? Yes, she is, she would never suppress her strength.”

The matter of fact statement made Erik’s blood boil, something both Charles and David picked up on immediately.

“How have I offended you, my friend?” Charles asked confused even as he picked up and pulled his son close to his chest protectively.

“You defend her right to abuse you and your son with her power, even as she takes your ability to defend yourself!”

“It’s not the same, Erik, my power is off the charts and more invasive than other mutations,” Charles placated desperately. 

“But you don’t abuse it Charles, I’ve known you for less than an hour and I can tell that about you.”

“Well, you’re the only one,” he said in a self depreciating manner. “My own sister prefers me on suppressants,” he said quietly without meeting Erik’s eye.

“Is she a mutant as well?”

“Yes, a shape shifter.”

Erik shook his head in disgust; he expected that kind of reaction from humans, but for mutants to turn on their own like this sickened him. 

He knew that not every kid got lucky enough to have supportive baseline relatives like he did with his mom and sister, but he honestly hated to see that kind of prejudice within their own community.

“I’m sorry, Charles but they’re wrong.” He said gruffly, “are you suppressing David?”

“Oh, no, we still don’t know how early suppressant effect the development of mutations, I wouldn’t put him at risk like that.” Charles said with conviction. At least he had his son’s best interests at heart.

“Well, that’s good to hear,” Erik rested his head back against the couch, thoughts rushing through his head, he had so many questions about Charles’ situation, about his life.

He looked down at the feeling of a soft brush against his knee, Charles had set David down on the floor and he was using Erik’s leg as leverage to stand. The sight made him smile.

“Do you have kids?”

“One, Lorna. She’s a bit older than little man here.”

“Where is she?”

“Still in Germany with my mother, just until I get settled then she’ll be joining me.”

Charles laughed, “Was wondering about the toy.”

Erik quirked one eyebrow, “Do I not seem like the kind of man to collect plush toys, Charles?”

“Not exactly, my friend.”

“Ah, well you’ve caught me out.”

They shared a smile as Erik grasped a few bits of metal he kept lying around for his amusement and began twirling shapes and spirals around David’s head much to his delight.

“Lorna loves that trick, once she made one shake,” Erik stated proudly remembering the moment like it was yesterday, a fond smile on his face.

“Do you think she inherited your telekinesis?”

“Metallokinesis, and it’s too soon to be sure, my sister says it’s all in my head, that I’m just looking for something that hasn’t presented yet,” he chuckled.

“Will you be upset if she isn’t a mutant?” Charles wondered, genuinely interested. He had heard of mutant parents opting for selective abortions if their child didn’t carry the X-gene. 

It sickened him just the same when baseline parents did the opposite.

“Oh, she’s a mutant; she was born with bright green hair, no hiding that. But I wouldn’t have been disappointed either way. Her mother is baseline, so it could have gone 50/50.”

“Well, even with David there was a 25% chance of him being baseline.”

“How is that with both parents’ mutants?”

Charles lit up like a bonfire and went on a tangent about mutations and predictive alleles and so on and so forth. Erik only caught about half of it and understood even less.

“Are you a professor or something?” he asked when Charles paused for breath.

“Well, actually, yes. I teach Genetics at NYU, I’m sorry sometimes I get carried away.”

“It’s good to have a passion,” Erik said softly as David pulled himself up on his knee once more and tried to scramble onto his lap, he gave the baby an assist and let him cuddle against his chest.

He glanced up from settling him and found himself caught in Charles gaze, their eyes locked in a moment of shared awareness that flooded the room with an undercurrent of tension.

Erik basked in the moment, he would have to be blind not to notice the other man’s appeal, and he knew he was attractive in his own right, but it was always nice to have it recognized.

“Lorna’s mother?” Charles asked softy.

“Not ready to be a mother.” He answered truthfully. They’d met at a concert and had a hot summer fling that resulted in the light of his life, but she wasn’t in the picture in any substantive way.

Charles cleared his throat and shifted slightly on the couch, “Well, I may soon have to ask you for some advice.”

“On what?”

“Single parenting,” Charles looked down at his son sadly. “I missed my dose this morning in the chaos of running late, which the only way I was able to sense her intent, to put her to sleep. It was too close a call; I can’t risk Davey like that.”

“I’m sorry Charles; do you know what set her off?”

“Yeah, he made her stop yelling and set her drink down. I didn’t even notice until the switch flipped in her head and she turned on him.” His eyes shimmered with unshed tears as he relived the terror of that moment.

Erik paled at the thought of a strength enhanced mutant striking a child, “My G-d Charles, she could have killed you both.”

“Yeah, I know,” Charles looked ashamed. Erik cursed his blunt nature for the umpteenth time.

“Not that I’m blaming you, I know it’s hard when you’re in love-hard to see it, I mean.” He allowed images of his parents to flicker across the surface of his mind. 

He did understand, not first hand, but once he had asked his mother why she put up with their father, why she kept going back for more of the same. “I love him, I can’t be without him,” she had whispered brokenly as they huddled in a shoddy motel, hiding from his anger for another night.

Charles flinched at the intensity of the memory, “I’m not that far gone on Regina, but I did want him to have a good relationship with his mother. She just mistrusts telepathy so much, it doesn’t seem likely.”

Erik had been absently tracking the necklace as it loitered in the lobby then returned to their floor in the elevator. It was now stationary Charles’ apartment, the door closed as well as it could be with crooked hinges.

Charles sighed, bringing Erik back into himself. “She’s asleep,” he said, lingering tension draining from his frame.

“Are you going back tonight?” Erik asked, concerned.

“Oh, no no, tomorrow is early enough to deal with the mess I’ve made of my life,” he stood and hesitated a moment before asking, “Would you mind keeping an eye on him while I run back for my phone and wallet?”

“What? No, Charles, you’re both staying here tonight,” Erik stated flatly, ignoring Charles’ protests by looming over him with David sleeping in his arms, “Charles.” He cut the other man off mid explanation. “Come to bed.”

The telepath flushed a light pink as his pupils dilated both from the phrasing of the order and Erik’s close proximity. 

He wished it were being said under different circumstances, but maybe there was a chance for that in the future.

Erik led the way to the master bedroom and settled into bed, shutting the lights and checking the locks absentmindedly on the way.

He climbed into bed and settled David next to him, trying not to watch as Charles stripped off the sweater he was wearing and climbed into the other side of the bed in just an undershirt and the baggy sleep pants he had shown up in.

“Thanks again for all this,” Charles said softly.

“Anytime, my friend,” Erik murmured sleepily and was surprised to realize he meant it.

On the nightstand the clock flipped to 12:01.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He wondered if that was the feeling Regina was chasing, that fearlessness that Charles was just coming to realize he missed desperately.

Charles woke up a scant few hours later with sunlight streaming through the windows and slanting across his face. Ugh. He never chose east facing apartments for this exact reason, he turned over groggily and pressed his face into the pillow.

East facing apartment? The previous evening came rushing back to him and slammed him awake all at once.

The confrontation with Regina, her rage towards David, their mad unplanned flight to a stranger, Charles sat up slowly and took stock of his situation. David was still sleeping comfortably, dreaming formless dreams of comfort and warmth that flooded Charles with contentment as he brushed against his mind. Erik was sleeping as well, though Charles managed to restrain himself from taking a peek into the other mans mind.

In hindsight, Charles was embarrassed to have foisted himself and his son upon the other man, in his hurry the night before he had latched onto the nearest mutant mind and rushed towards it. The fact that his new neighbor was such a powerful mutant was simply a bonus.

He leaned back against the headboard, a huge wrought iron masterpiece that took up the main wall of the bedroom. He would have thought the bed frame was antique had he not known about Erik’s abilities, now it just made him wonder if the other man had made it himself. He would have to ask.

Charles looked down at his lap, his hands were shaking. Distracting himself from his upcoming confrontation with Regina was not working out so well. He searched for her mind, surprised by how quickly and clearly he could read her mental state. The suppressants were wearing off quickly. He had some important decisions to make about his continued use of those as well.

He closed his eyes and tried to think logically about the situation. Erik’s memories and emotions of growing up afraid of one of his parents had shaken Charles to his core. The immediacy of being truly afraid of an authority figure was not one which Charles was familiar with. On some level he was in control of every situation he found himself in, or he had been until he started suppressants. He wondered if that was the feeling Regina was chasing, that fearlessness that Charles was just coming to realize he missed desperately. He had taken them to please her, she was pregnant with their child, but said she was uncomfortable living with him when he could control her so easily without her knowledge.

That admission had hurt more than he had let on, but not as much as when he had taken time aside to speak to Raven about it before making a final decision.

“I’m just saying I can see where she’s coming from! How can she know if she loves you or wants to stay with you, if you treat her well, if you two are happy?”

“She could trust me,” Charles said eventually, frantically trying not to read her true feelings on the matter, but she was thinking so hard and they were finishing their second bottle of wine.

~ _Telepath so powerful, make you see anything, how can you ever know?~_ He felt her doubt, her own mistrust in him and it felt like he had swallowed corrosive acid.

“So, if I took suppressants, you would feel more comfortable around me?” he finally asked once he was sure his voice would come out steady. The resulting jolt of positive emotion gave him all the answer he needed even as Raven tactfully replied, “Well, just try and see it from our point of view, Charles. You’re so powerful, how can anyone know your limits?”

They can trust me to know my own. Charles thought as pressure built in his temples and behind his eyelids. Erik had trusted him in minutes, had slept next to him when so many of his former lovers had refused to do so. Twin tears slipped hotly down his cheeks as he sucked in a ragged breath.

Erik startled awake as David began to wail, uncharacteristic of him to say the least. “Charles, you’re projecting,” Erik rasped as a tear tracked down from one gray eye.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” Charles swiped his palm across his face and tried to calm himself down even as he pulled David to his chest with his free hand. “I’m sorry.”

“Hey, it’s ok; you guys had a rough night.” Erik soothed, shuffling Charles slightly forward so that he could smooth a large hand down his back while cradling David’s head in the other.

Charles gave a watery chuckle, “How are you so good at this?”

“Practice,” came the wry answer even as Charles wanted to kick himself for the insensitive question.

“Hey, don’t beat yourself up over it, we just met last night.”

“Oh god, I’m still projecting, I’m sorry I’ll get my shields in place and…” he had nearly said take another dose of suppressants but something stopped him. He paused for breath and closed his eyes once more, focusing on Erik’s hand tracing circles over his back, on David warm and trusting in his lap.

He used to live in this city of millions and keep himself centered through sheer force of will. After long moments of focused meditation he brought his awareness squarely into his own mind and held it there. David had slowly calmed down with him and was now busily tugging on Charles’ shaggy hair, projecting mild tension and hunger. He soothed him with a wave of unconditional love that the baby returned with a gummy smile.

Now Charles misted up for an entirely different reason. “Now, now, none of that, enough tears for today,” Erik teased causing David to turn his happy attention to the fascinating stranger.

“Do you think you can go back to sleep, it’s early yet.”

Charles frowned and gave it thought, “No, I think I’m up now, for better or worse.”

“Alright then, how do you feel about breakfast?”

“Generally I like it, but I must warn you, I’m a terrible cook.”

Erik grinned widely at that, “Well, lucky for you I’m an excellent cook and I don’t force my guests to cook for me at any rate.”

Charles blushed in renewed awareness of Erik’s attractiveness, god he must look a rumpled mess to this Adonis. “Can we use your bathroom?” He asked in a rush.

“Yes, go ahead; I’m sure you know the layout,” Erik called over his shoulder as he made his way to the kitchen.

Fortunately, David had not made solid use of his diaper and didn’t need an immediate change. Charles washed them up as best he could and made judicious use of the mouthwash before heading to the kitchen where Erik was frying up eggs and sausage.

“Smells divine, doesn’t it my boy?” he asked David, lifting him over his head and causing him to squeal a laugh that arced through Charles head in a lash of pain. He set his son on the floor and leaned against the wall next to the refrigerator, “I’ve the devil of a headache, and can I trouble you for some painkillers?” He asked, unaccustomed to headaches he couldn’t will away.

Erik seemed confused as well, “Can’t you?” He wiggled his fingers near his ear suggestively as he half turned away from the stove.

“Usually, but this one is just getting stronger.” A look of understanding came over the metal benders face, “How long have you taken suppressants?”

“A little over a year and a half,” Charles answered softly as he realized he was going through mild withdrawal. “Oh.”

“Here you go,” he set a small bottle of medicine on the counter- Charles idly noted the childproof cap, more evidence of the absent Lorna. “Have you decided about taking them again?” Erik’s voice broke his reverie.

“I-I never wanted to take them in the first place,” Charles felt a flicker of uncustomary anger light within his chest. He had crippled himself to make others more comfortable, he had missed out on one of his senses for over a year! How much more could he and David have shared over that time? Would he have been able to sense him in the womb? He would never know.

The rage swelled within him and writhed like a living thing. Charles braced himself on the counter and focused that wrath with all his might. He breathed deeply and cleared his mind; he was the strongest telepath on record. He _**cleared his mind** _ and felt his telepathy break through the pain and lingering chemical fog like sunlight dispersing clouds.

He felt his awareness flood out over the building, the block, the city in a rush of pleased warmth. Like a deep stretch after a long sleep.

“Wow.”

He opened his eyes to see Erik staring at him in shock and something else, something he couldn’t place. For a moment he panicked, that was the wrong move, everyone was frightened once they felt his power; Erik would want nothing to do with him anymore.

Then he sensed a pulse of warm arousal low in his belly, a feeling that wasn’t his own-oh, that was the look.

His own face must have changed because it was Erik’s turn to blush and turn back to plating up breakfast, “I’m sorry, I-admire strong mutations.” He muttered softly causing Charles to perk up considerably.

“Good to know,” he said cheekily confident as he lifted David once more and twinned their minds together tightly feeling awash in their shared delight in a moment that Charles had honestly thought would never come.

Now that the low level headache that had been slowly building was gone, he realized how awful he had truly felt for so long.

~ _I’m sorry Davey, I’ll never go away again_ ~

They had a breakfast picnic on the floor of the living room while Erik explained his long distance move in more detail. “I’m a metal smith and a mechanic, I create sculptures out of scrap metal and I _have_ sold pieces but my passion is classic cars. I love to restore them from the ground up. There is a world famous body shop here-they made an offer and I didn’t hesitate.” He smiled widely at the mention of the shop.

“What are they called?” “NYC Muscle, it’s a silly name but they do amazing work.”

“I’m sure you do as well.”

“I’ve been told I have an unfair advantage,” Erik whispered as though divulging a great secret. They shared a laugh at that.

“I’d love to see you work sometime.”

“Really? Well, once I set up studio space, I’ll be sure to invite you over.”

“Please do!” Charles grinned, basking in the light affection he felt emanating from the other man. “So, when do you start work?”

“A couple of weeks, I’m using this week to get settled and Lorna is arriving this weekend.” Charles laughed at the besotted look on the other man’s face anytime he mentioned his daughter, he wondered if he looked the same about David.

“What’s so funny?” Erik demanded in mock anger.

“I was just thinking we gave you quite a welcome to the city,” Charles face palmed at the realization that Erik’s first experience in New York was a domestic disturbance.

“I don’t know, it wasn’t so bad,” Erik smiled out of the corner of his mouth as he caught and held the telepaths gaze for a long, heated moment. Charles suddenly tensed and broke the moment with a frown mirrored on David’s tiny countenance.

“What is it?”

“Regina’s awake.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back by popular demand! I'm overwhelmed by the response I've had for this story so I'm making it a full length fic! I have no idea how long it will be, so let's ride it 'till the wheels fall off! Comments are love!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Confrontation with Regina.

There was a tense pause after his announcement, “What are you going to do?” Erik asked warily.

“I’m going to talk to her and sort this out.”

“Do you want to go alone?” _~Do you need me to come with you?~_ he didn’t ask aloud.

Charles gave a half smile at his careful phrasing “I’ll be fine, Erik, though I hope I can trouble you for a bit longer to keep an eye on Davey? I don’t want him to see a potentially ugly confrontation.”

“Of course Charles, it’s no trouble its good of you to keep him out of it,” He assured the smaller man.

 Charles stood up from the floor and ran his fingers through his hair nervously. “Thank you my friend,” he said softly, kissing David on the cheek in an effort to make him smile. “Be a good boy for Erik, alright love?” They clung to one another for a moment- the baby clearing sensing the tension in the air- before Charles handed him off to Erik and made for the door.

Just before he reached it, Erik caught him lightly by the wrist. “Charles, if things go wrong and you do need me, just call,” he said with a subtle gesture towards his temple.

“I hope it won’t come to that, but thank you.” With that he was out the door headed back to the home he had so recently fled.

Erik cradled David to his chest, gently rocking the boy to comfort his silent distress, in response the small boy snuggled close, “Don’t worry little man, Daddy will be back soon.”

Charles entered his apartment quietly, careful not to damage the door hinges any more than they already were. He heard the shower running and moved to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. Regina was always short tempered without it.

He used the time to himself to meditate, loving the resonance he achieved when he found the silence amid the chaos of so many millions of minds. He brought himself out of it as the shower stopped and the bathroom door swung open.

By the time Regina made it to the kitchen, there was a cup of coffee with cream waiting on the counter.

“Charles!” she seemed startled by his presence as she wrapped her bath towel more tightly.

“Regina.”

“Where were you last night?! Where did you take my son?!”

“Our son, Regina, and we stayed with a friend.”

“I gave birth to him Charles, he’s mine.”

“Knocked yourself up did you?” He snarked, falling back into the familiar argument before cutting himself off with a weary sigh. “That’s not what I’m here to talk about.”

“What isn’t? You kidnapping David? Where is he by the way?” she set her mug on the counter hard enough to crack the veneer.

“He’s somewhere safe, and while I’m glad that you’re concerned for his wellbeing, he’s going to stay there for at least a bit longer.”

“How much longer?”

“Until we sort this out.” Regina rolled her eyes and sat on one of the barstools at the kitchen island.

“What’s to sort? We get him on suppressants and make sure he doesn’t pull another stunt like that.”

Charles felt anger flare within him again, “I’ve explained that he’s too young for suppressants, Regina, it could permanently stunt his growth as a mutant.”

“So what, Charles, _its telepathy_ , half the time you hate it! You should want what’s best for him!” Charles stung at the hit about his self loathing and vowed to himself that he wasn’t going to pass it on to their son.

“I do! I want him to be himself, I want him to know there is nothing wrong with being a mutant!”

“There isn’t anything wrong with it, Charles. I’m mutant and proud, you know that.” She placated smoothly, finally sensing his mood and realizing this wasn’t their usual disagreement.

“Reggie, I know you mean well, but-“

Suddenly she tensed, “What the hell, Charles?”

“What?” He asked, confused by the sudden change of pace.

“Are you off your meds?”

“Yes, I am. I’m not taking them again, and David isn’t going on them either.” He said firmly.

“I can feel you pressing against my mind. Trying to get in?” She snarled, slipping down from the stool and moving to the other side of the room. As though the minor proximity change would amount to anything.

Charles struggled not to roll his eyes, her telepathy blocks were pathetic, when he had tried to teach her stronger shielding techniques she had put the onus of responsibility on telepaths to control themselves.

“You know I’m not like that, I’ve never read your mind without permission.”

“How can I know that, Charles, this is why the suppressants work, they curb harmful mutations, you said so yourself!”

“I meant harmful to the mutant, or if they can’t control their ability and present a danger to others!”

“Unsuppressed, you can do anything, you _are_ a danger, Charles!” She all but begged him to understand.

“I wasn’t the danger last night.” He countered softly.

Tears filled her eyes at the memory of the night before, “But you guys are alright, I never would have-”

“Don’t Reggie, don’t say it, we’ve been through this too many times and I always believe you and I always stay, but you went for David, a baby, your own son!”

“He used me as a puppet!” She defended shrilly.

“I know, and I know that’s scary but you’re an adult and his mother, you need to learn self control, especially with the power you wield." Her shoulders slumped as he continued, “Be honest with me and yourself. Can you accept David as he is?”

“Not going to ask about yourself, Charles?” She asked sadly.

“You’ve made yourself clear about me, I know I scare you.” His voice broke on the last syllable causing her to flinch at the raw pain in his tone.

“He does too,” she admitted quietly. “Telepaths just-god, manifest so early and, I had hoped he wouldn’t…I do love him, you know?” She slumped sadly onto the couch.

“I know, Reggie. Just not as he is," he sank down onto the cushion next to hers.

“I swear if he had any other mutation!”

“Or none at all?”

She hesitated and refused to meet his eyes.

“That wasn’t a fair question. I know you want mutant kids, and I’m sure you’ll have them.” He apologized gently.

She let out a broken laugh, “I swear you’re the perfect guy, Charles.” _~If only I could trust you~_

He heard the thought as he had heard iterations of it so many times over the course of his life. This time, instead of flagellating himself and bending over backwards to make her feel comfortable, he silently rejected responsibility for her comfort. The issue was her own, not his to solve.

“This isn’t going to work without trust.” He said simply.

“Or love,” she countered.

“Can you love me?” he wondered aloud as he had wondered privately for so long. Is it possible to love someone you fear and mistrust?

“I don’t know, I tried to love you, on paper you’re perfect but I just can’t get over your strength.” It was funny in a macabre sort of way. So many men had rejected her over the years because of her ability and here she was doing to someone else.

“I’m sorry, Charles. I can’t be what you deserve, what every mutant deserves. I don’t think I can be a good mother to David either.” She pressed her hand to his forearm gently, causing his thoughts to flood with her memories of family and friends warning her about him and encouraging her to suppress David before his first birthday, “so he’d never know the difference.”

He flinched away from her touch as though she had cut him. In none of the memories had she defended either of them against the often absurd accusations made by humans and mutants alike.

He stood up from the couch and looked down at her, she was so small and slim, with a sort of fey beauty that had caught his eye the moment he saw her.

“I know I’ve hurt you, Charles, and I’m sorry.”

“I know you are, Reggie, but sorry doesn’t cut it.”

“What do you mean?” she looked up eyes flashing warily.

“We need to end this, we’re not right for each other. We tried, but it didn’t work and that’s fine. This is my apartment, I’m happy to help you find another, help you financially until you’re settled, that’s not issue.”

“What about David?”

“He stays with me.”

“I’m his mother, if we took this to court I’d get custody!”

“Do you want it? Do you even want _joint_ custody? Be real, Regina, the older he gets the stronger he’ll get. I’ll get a court order to prevent you from suppressing him before puberty if that’s the road you want to go, but I’d rather be civil about this,” she flinched at his hard tone.

“Fine then, keep him. My mother wouldn’t let him stay regardless, not after what happened last night.”

“You called her?”

“Yeah, she wanted me to leave before both of you came back and made me stay.”

“Is that what you were planning?” he asked, feeling sick to his stomach, no wonder she was up so uncharacteristically early.

“I was going to talk to you, just over the phone.” _~out of your range~_ she defended guiltily.

“Why don’t you pack up and go. No need for a phone call. I’ll go get David, bring him to say goodbye.”

Her eyes filled with tears at the notion of leaving her baby behind and for a moment Charles thought she would decide to stay, or at least demand to share David, then her expression changed and he all but saw her relive the memory of being overruled by a child. Her expression hardened and she turned to go to the bedroom.

“Thank you for giving me a choice.” She said, looking back over her shoulder.

“You’ve always had all your choices.” He answered sadly; she nodded her agreement though he could see in her eyes that she didn’t believe him and never would.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It was no trouble, Charles, you’re both welcome here anytime.” He raised a hand to silence Charles’ attempts to thank him again. “If you want to make it up to me, why don’t we get together once Lorna arrives and you can show us where all the cool kids hang out in this city?”
> 
> “It’s a date!” Charles smiled then blushed as he realized the implication of his words as he took in Erik’s smirk, “I mean here’s my number, text me.” He pressed his number into Erik’s mind and turned to go as David leaned over his shoulder to wave happily.

Charles made his way back to Erik’s apartment slowly, he felt as though the life he had been so carefully building over the last several months was imploding. He needed a moment to fully grasp all that he had lost and gained.

It was disorienting, the highs and lows like being on the world’s largest see saw with no idea who was on the other end.

He could hardly believe how much he was enjoying his telepathy. Regina was right about one thing, it had always felt like a burden to him, a constant struggle to keep everyone out. The old saying came to mind, you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.

Now that he had it back, he loved the press of so many minds; he had been so lonely without even realizing it. The low grade melancholy he had been grappling with was gone. He smiled at the idea of writing a product review for his suppressants; he would probably come across sounding insane.

He had lost Regina, who he loved and cared for deeply even though they were not in love. They had made it work and he had begun to see a future for them. Now all that was shot to hell.

He glanced down at his phone which he had snagged on his way out of his apartment and saw that he had two missed calls and several texts from Raven. It was early for her as well. What was going on today? He skipped the voicemails for the time being and scrolled through the texts as he absently knocked on Erik’s door.

It unlocked itself and swung open at the lightest rap of his knuckles to the wood, “See, little man, Daddy’s back, everything’s fine.” He walked in to the sight of Erik gently bouncing a fretting David who wriggled madly and reached for Charles as soon as he came into view.

“He’s so quiet, Lorna screams like the devil when I leave her sight.” Erik remarked as he handed him over.

“He’s always been quiet, its normal for telepaths to have delayed verbal communication, I’m sure you’ve noticed he’s quite adept at getting his point across mentally.” Charles replied snuggling his son to comfort them both.

“Are you alright? He got really sad a few minutes after you left.”

“I’m fine, it went about as well as could be expected,” Charles was embarrassed to tell Erik what Regina had said about wanting to be out of his range before they spoke. The other man had been so accepting of his ability, he might think less of Charles for putting up with such treatment for so long.

“What’s that face?”

“Hmm? Oh, I was just thinking that we just met and you’re the first non telepath I’ve met who wasn’t suspicious of me.”

“Well, you know how it is, Charles, mutant and proud.” Erik said bashfully.

He laughed, much to Erik’s consternation, and went on to explain that his sister ran their local chapter of the Mutant Pride Alliance and that he had met Regina at one of their meetings.

“That’s insane, I mean really, Charles how can they square that in their minds?”

“I have no idea, I guess I’ll get the chance to ask, my sisters been texting me like mad, wanting to meet up. Apparently she felt my psychic burst across the city and wants to know why.”

“Did you tell her you’re off the hard stuff?” He asked dryly.

Charles laughed again, “You make it sound like I was tying off veins and shooting up in the dark!”

“Well, that’s how I see unnecessary medication.” Erik said seriously, “I’m glad you’re back to yourself.”

“Me too, but honestly my sister is a bit of a hard ass and I think I’ll put her off ‘til later in the week. I’m worn out from the past… what’s it been like ten hours? My god.” Charles flopped dramatically onto the couch causing David to laugh happily. “Ugh, now we have to go say goodbye to mommy.” He said softly, looking up at his son where he sat perched on his chest.

“Is she going to want to take David with her?” Erik asked sympathetically.

Charles was hesitant to say anything, but in the end he had no one else to talk to about this, and in some ways it was easier to spill his guts to this virtual stranger than to a co worker or one of the friends he and Regina shared.

Erik seemed to read his hesitation and simply sat on the couch next to him and let him talk in his own time. Decision made he told him about the break up, the custody talk, and even the things she had said about telepathy and about David in particular.

He was surprised by how much it hurt to repeat the things she’d said, to relay the memories she had of friends and relatives warning her about their small family, about her core belief that they were right all along.

Erik’s frown grew deeper as Charles went on, but he only interrupted to ask if David would be alright knowing this, “I’m shielding him from what were actually saying, he’s just getting the cadence of the words and the impressions of our feelings.” Charles assured, pleased that Erik would think of his son’s well being as second nature.

“Good, no one needs to know that their own mother is afraid of them,” Erik all but growled as he smoothed a hand over the baby’s wispy chestnut locks.

“So that’s what happened and now she’s almost ready to leave so we need to go say goodbye.”

“You’re a good man Charles, certainly kinder than I am.” Erik smiled, even while thinking of what he would have said to Regina in Charles’ place.

“Would you really have..? Never mind, I don’t wanna know!” Charles laughed at the mental images he picked up from the other mans mind. “Alright, I was going to argue but I **am** a better man than you!”

Erik laughed at that and stood to walk them to the door, “Don’t you forget it.”

“Thanks again, Erik. I can’t imagine what would have happened if you hadn’t been here last night.”

“It was no trouble, Charles, you’re both welcome here anytime.” He raised a hand to silence Charles’ attempts to thank him again. “If you want to make it up to me, why don’t we get together once Lorna arrives and you can show us where all the cool kids hang out in this city?”

“It’s a date!” Charles smiled then blushed as he realized the implication of his words as he took in Erik’s smirk, “I mean here’s my number, text me.” He pressed his number into Erik’s mind and turned to go as David leaned over his shoulder to wave happily. Erik leaned out to watch them go and see which apartment they went into, three down on the opposite side of the hall.

Erik closed the door with a smile, moving here may have been the best decision he’d ever made.

~~

The next few days of Erik’s life were comprised of getting the rest of his furniture set up and turning his empty apartment into a home. As much as he missed his daughter, he loved the chance to unpack and organize to his exacting standards without having a 15 month old possible metallokinetic underfoot attempting to “help.”

Hopefully New York would be a great new start for them, he was more excited than he could say to get back into the workshop and sling metal.

He was also pleased to find that his extremely attractive neighbor was an avid texter, though he explained that talking to someone without any impression of their mind was disorienting to say the least.

They had shared long conversations via text and even a few shorter ones mentally when they were both at home.

Erik was surprised to realize that Charles was lonely. He had somewhat downplayed the reaction his friends and co workers had to his mutation and he had latched on to Erik’s acceptance with aplomb.

The metal bender decided to make it his mission to help Charles realize that his mutation was a beautiful facet of the man that he was rapidly developing feelings for.

He had made the mistake of mentioning Charles to his mother during one of their many phone calls; she had immediately warmed to the other man once Erik shared the story of how they met.

“Oh, it was like that with Ruthie, do you remember when we would have to run? She was too little to understand,” she recollected sadly.

“I remember, mama. But his girlfriend has gone now.”

“Well, I hope he doesn’t take her back, you know how that is.”

Erik knew his mother was ashamed that she had never had the strength to send their father away. Sometimes he wondered if they would still be together if Erik hadn’t manifested during one of his father’s violent fits and sent the man away in terror.

He had never returned.

“Mama, don’t blame yourself, you were in love," Erik soothed, hating to even think of his father even in the abstract.

“You kids needed me; it was my job to protect you, not the other way around. Your Charles has it the right way around,” Edie insisted adamantly.

“He’s not my anything, mama.” Erik said feeling his face heat and wondering how his mother could read him so clearly from an ocean away.

“Ahh, but you want him to be yours; don’t lie to your mother. Now, someone here wants to tell her daddy about her day.” He spent the remainder of the call listening to his daughter chatter on in broken English. They had been making a habit of speaking it exclusively to make her transition to America easier; it still amazed him how quickly she had caught on.

“Alright love, I’ll see you in a few days, be good for nana, alright?”

“KK Vati, bye bye!!” She cheered; likely excited about some forbidden treat he wasn’t there to stop his mother from giving her.

After they hung up he sat for a moment, basking in the love of his family before his thoughts turned to what his mother said about Charles. Was he that obvious? He had no desire to be a rebound for the Brit and was holding off on making any moves until the other man indicated he was ready for something more than friendship. He could only hope his crush wasn’t as obvious to everyone else as it was to his mother.

He puttered around for another hour, missing his family more after their brief talk, and dreading another evening alone. He glanced at the calendar on his phone, counting the days until his princess arrived.

At that moment he felt the brush of Charles against his mind sort of a silent hello, he returned the greeting and they carried on talking as they each prepared dinner. Erik was somewhat skeptical in the face of the other man’s admission about his lack of culinary skill from that first morning.

 _~I looked this up on line, it’s an easy pasta bake, I can handle it_!~ He asserted excitedly.

 _~Sorry, chef, carry on.~_ Erik said, keeping an ear out for the fire alarm. They carried on a soft conversation, mostly about a research grant Charles’ department was vying for, when it came.

VEEEP! VEEEP! VEEEP!

_~Oh Bugger! Erik can you make it stop?~_

Feeling for the only active switch in the hall, Erik flicked it off to stop the siren.

 _~Thanks, my friend. Guess it’s another carry out night.~_ He said sheepishly.

 _~Actually, when you told me you were cooking, I made extra.~_ Erik informed him smugly _, ~Why don’t you open a window and head over?~_

 _~I don’t know what I’d do without you, Erik honestly I’m glad you’re not here to see this; it looks nothing like the picture!_ ~ He sent a mental picture of a bubbling, charbroiled mess billowing smoke.

 _~I think that’s the least of its problems,~_ Erik though back wryly. ~ _Just so you know, I’m doing this for David; I can’t let him suffer because his dad can burn water.~_

 _~I’m sure he’s most grateful for your charitable spirit_ ,~ Charles chuckled, _~We’re on the way!~_

 _~Door's unlocked,~_ He called back with a smile, suddenly looking forwards to his evening with something like excitement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a rough idea of the scenes I'm planning for their courtship but let me know if there's anything you particularly wish to see and I'll try to work it in!! XoXoX!!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Confrontation with Raven

“Now I know I promised to take you where all the cool kids hang out, but honestly I’ve never been cool and I gave up trying for that long ago.” Charles apologized half heartedly as they prepared to head out for the Mutant Pride Alliance meeting.

“I don’t know about that, being the world’s youngest college professor is pretty cool.” Erik replied with a flirtatious grin.

“I’m hardly the world’s youngest.” Charles protested the teasing with a poorly hidden smile.

“Youngest geneticist?” Erik egged on.

Charles opened his mouth to respond then closed it after a moment. “Maybe when I first attained the degree, but I’m not so young anymore!”

“Oh please, I’m sure most of your grad students are older than you!” Erik laughed at the adorable blush that crept over the younger man’s cheeks.

“The grads, not so much…”

“But…”

“Well, the doctoral candidates-“ his explanation was cut off by Erik’s pleased laughter, “I knew it! Oh don’t be so modest Professor Xavier, I’m sure your students don’t mind your age, you must be an inspiration to them. A sign of what they could achieve.”

“You think highly of me, most of them probably resent me for making them feel old and under accomplished.” Charles quipped back, but his tone was slightly off.

“Do they?” Erik asked soberly, teasing forgotten for the moment.

“I don’t know, I try not to read their minds but sometimes they just think it **so loud** I can’t help but overhear.”

“Don’t let them get you down Charles, the jealousy of others is a sign you’re doing something right.”

“That’s an interesting perspective, my friend. One I’m not sure that I share.” Charles chuckled after a moment.

“Think on it, it’ll grow on you,” Erik winked causing a telltale flutter in Charles’ belly that he steadfastly tried to ignore.

“Let’s head out,” he said quickly, hoping that the other man would attribute his breathlessness to the weight of David’s sling. In response, Erik swung Lorna up into his arms and rested her on his hip.

“Is it close enough to walk?” he asked curiously.

“No, we usually drive or take a cab.” Charles responded absently as they made their way to the elevator, Erik easily locking the doors behind them as they left.

“You have a car?” Came the incredulous reply.

“Um, yes?” he asked, somewhat confused by the other man’s surprise.

“Then why do you take cabs everywhere?”

“I hate city driving, and...I’m not the best driver in the world honestly. My mind wanders to my research or an article I’m peer reviewing and before I know it the lights changed and everyone’s honking at me.”

Erik paused for a moment as they stepped onto the elevator, “I never thought I’d say this, but maybe it’s for the best if you don’t drive." He finally said so seriously that Charles burst into peals of laughter so bright that they caught the rest of them up as well.

“I’m sorry, I usually have better control of my moods!” he gasped out, embarrassed once he realized why Erik and the kids were laughing as well.

“No apology needed, is there Lorna? There are worse things than making people laugh, Charles.” He chuckled as he watched the younger man shift his happily wriggling son in his sling.

“I suppose there are,” he conceded with a bright smile for the green haired toddler still clutching her father and shaking with mirth, laughing her sweet babyish laugh that made his day anytime he heard it.

“Unfortunately we don’t have an extra car seat, so we’ll have to cab it this time.” The telepath said apologetically.

“No worries, I’m sure we’ll love a ride in a cab!” he bounced his daughter energetically on the last word causing her to squeal with delight and grab a fistful of Charles’ hair which was just within her reach when Erik held her.

“Cab! Cab! Vati!! Go Car!!” The two men shared a smile as they disentangled her fingers.

“I think she’s telling me to get a haircut,” he said sheepishly.

“I think she’s telling you the opposite,” Erik said, only half joking as a cab jolted to a stop right in front of them. “What? Too obvious?” He asked, taking in Charles' side eye.

“You didn’t even raise your hand, Erik.”

“How do you know it was me? Maybe it was David! Or Lorna!”

“I think I’m going to have to side with your sister on that one.”

“Oh come on, she’s definitely got that spark.” Erik argued good naturedly as they stepped into the car and settled the kids as Charles gave the confused cabbie the address.

~~

Lorna had arrived the previous weekend and was settling in well, she seemed to love the city and Charles wondered if the high concentration of metal enthralled her the way it did her father. She was a high spirited girl who took to David immediately, much to the relief of both men. She seemed to have no issue with his method of non verbal communication as long as he let her be the boss as they played. With David’s laid back nature, they were a match made in heaven, though their play could get surprisingly rowdy considering one of them was all but mute.

This was their first outing as…neighbors, a couple of friends, a play date? Charles tried desperately not to label it in his mind, but it was increasingly difficult not to notice the mutual pull between himself and the sexy mechanic.

He was excited about the meeting, not just to show off the Lehnsherr’s, but to see the friends he only really got to visit with once a month, less even if he or they had to miss a meeting. He was also unashamedly using them as a buffer between himself and Raven, who he still hadn’t spoken to about his decision to go off suppressants.

Much to his surprise, Erik was down with the plan, simply saying, “It’s Us vs. Them, Charles. Little sisters are a menace,” which simply caused him to want to meet Ruth all the more.

“Here we are!” He announced leading them into a large repurposed warehouse in an up and coming part of the city. It served as a community center for mutants with all the modern amenities any college campus would be proud of. There was even a small dormitory to house teenage runaways and other mutant abuse victims until they found a better option for them.

Charles was a proud benefactor of the center and was pleased to see how impressed Erik was with their facility.

“This is basically where I hang out when I’m not at home or the school. Well, now that bars are no longer my scene,” he gestured to David with a smile.

“It’s nice, has good bones. Erik replied, as he set Lorna down to run about within a five foot radius of him. Charles thought it was hilarious that he kept her on an invisible leash with the metal bits he imbedded in her clothes. He led them to a carpeted seating area and set David down with a little boy with black spiky hair and what appeared to be a vestigial tail. They stared at each other for a moment before setting about attacking the couch with a vigor that was nothing short of impressive.

“There’s a kids room, but we can drop them off after the meeting gets going. I wanted to get here early so you could get a feel for the place.”

“Good call, I’m not exactly a people person. Honestly I’ll probably want to leave once Lorna’s worn out.”

“I find that hard to believe my friend, you haven’t tired of m- us yet,” Charles quirked an incredulous eyebrow, fervently hoping the other man hadn’t caught his slip.

Erik turned away under the pretext of inspecting the art on the walls, “I guess I have a soft spot for little telepaths,” he said so softly that Charles wasn’t sure he was meant to hear him.

“Little?” He asked indignantly.

“Please Charles, let’s not pretend you aren’t, what’s the term? Vertically challenged.” He snapped his fingers with a grin as he recalled the colloquialism.

“Well, maybe you’re just too tall!” he huffed, somewhat embarrassed to be dismissed because of his height. It wasn’t the first time it had happened but it was usually more of an issue with women than men.

“Well, I’ve never had any complaints before.” The taller man drawled lowly in his ear, the feeling of his breath against his neck causing him to shiver involuntarily.

Charles seriously doubted that Erik had received any complaints about his appearance since long before puberty, if ever.

“Already back on the horse, Charles?” a husky female voice asked. He spun around quickly, pleased to note that a few familiar faces had begun to arrive and the room was slowly acquiring a more festive atmosphere.

“Raven! Hi!” he stepped forwards to give her a welcoming hug, trying not to notice how she tensed at the brief contact.

“This is my new neighbor, Erik; he’s here with his little one, Lorna. Erik, this is my sister, Raven.”

“Pleased to meet you,” She answered stiffly as they shook hands.

“You as well,” Erik replied in what could kindly be termed a frosty tone.

Raven raised an eyebrow at that and turned back to Charles, “Do you have a minute before we start?” He sighed internally, so much for hoping to avoid this conversation.“Sure, what’s up?”

“It’s kind of private, if you don’t mind," she said with a sharp look at Erik.

“Oh, I don’t mind as long as Charles doesn’t,” Erik replied with his trademark smile.

Charles struggled to hold in his mirth at the look of shock on Raven’s face, “And I don’t mind as long as Erik doesn’t so we’re good to go,” he said innocently.

Raven looked like she had swallowed a lemon, “Charles, this is important, I don’t have time for games.”

“Neither do I, and neither does my son,” he retorted tersely.

She gave him a baffled look, “what do you mean? What does Davey have to do with this?”

“He’s a telepath too! How can I teach him to be mutant and proud while I’m suppressing?”

“That’s not what this is about; this is about mutants together feeling comfortable. Telepathy makes a lot of people uncomfortable, and that’s without knowing how strong you are!” she hissed sharply.

“Oh come on, the point of this is for us to celebrate our differences, that’s our motto! It’s printed on the fucking door!”

For a moment she seemed taken aback by his vehemence, “we all have to make sacrifices for mutant kind, you said so yourself, you never accepted my true form, you’re still most comfortable with me in disguise, and here I am!”

“For the last time, **everyone wears clothes** , it’s not a disguise! I would expect a shape shifter to know that better than anyone!”

Their whispered conversation was beginning to attract attention which Charles turned away with barely a thought.

“Raven, if I may?” Erik interjected.

“Go ahead!” she snapped, “You may as well, being the one who encouraged this!” She grimaced with an encompassing gesture towards Charles.

“You say Charles is uncomfortable with your mutation, but here you are-blue, your natural form?” She shrugged her agreement.

“So Charles didn’t ask you to go on suppressants?”

“No, never, and I never would,” Charles cut in when it became clear that she wasn’t going to respond to the question.

“Telepathy is different,” she defended harshly, “You have no idea how strong he is, he’s incapable of staying out of your head, especially when you touch him! I know how much he hates it, the suppressants help!” she pleaded for him to understand. “Reggie was his longest relationship and it ended as soon as he went off his meds.”

For a moment Charles wondered if Erik would be swayed by her impassioned argument, then he noticed the tension in the other mans shoulders and realized that he was livid.

“No wonder it hurts him to be in other’s heads when his own family is thinking such poisoned thoughts about him! You’re supposed to love him, to support him as your brother and as a mutant! Instead you want him to hide his head, to live his life with someone who would never love him for himself!”

Erik took a moment to pull himself together before grasping Charles’ hand palm to palm without flinching, “I trust Charles, you should try it sometime.” He led the other man away without looking back.

Charles quickly ushered him into a small private office off the main room and closed the door behind them.

Erik turned to face him immediately contrite, “I’m sorry, Charles I had no right to interfere-" Charles cut him off gently pressing two fingers to his lips before leaning in to replace them with a kiss. Erik froze for a moment before launching into action, wrapping the smaller man in his arms and tilting his head to deepen the kiss even as Charles pushed him back against the wall with a soft thud and pressed himself flush into the vee of Erik’s thighs.

They broke apart after long moments, gasping for air, chasing each other’s mouths for residual kisses. “Oh, god, Erik don’t apologize. No one has ever…and you meant it! When you held my hand I felt…you trust me, Oh god you trust me.” He pulled the other man back into an eager kiss that ended when a sharp laugh from the other room pulled them back into the present.

“Charles, I trust you, how could I not? I feel your mind and you are the kindest, best person I’ve ever known.” He rasped huskily, skating his hands up the smaller mans lean hips and resting them in the dip of his waist.

“Thank you, thank you,” he gasped, surprised to find that he was tearing up.

“Please don’t cry, not anymore,” Erik cupped his face in his hands and smoothed his tears away with a light brush of his thumbs.

“It’s just, I thought I was alone, I’ve always been alone in this,” he murmured shakily.

“Oh my friend, you are not alone,” he pulled the smaller man into another brief kiss. “We’d better head out, I cut Lorna loose when we came inside, and she’s probably destroyed half the building by now.”

Charles gave a watery chuckle and leaned close to tuck his head under Erik’s chin, “She’s fine, they both are. Someone took them to the playroom.”

“Good, that’ll wear them out,” He said to draw another laugh from the telepath, “do you want to stay?”

He thought about it for a moment before saying, "Ugh, I know we just got here but, I mean, you and Lorna should stay and make friends.”

“Charles, if you want to go we can go.”

“Really, you don’t mind?”

“There’s always next month, or never. It was really filling up out there and as I’ve stated, people aren’t exactly my thing.” That got a genuine laugh out of him, one that wrapped Erik in its warmth.

“Alright then, I’d love a quiet night at home after all this.”

"Well then, lead on, the playroom awaits," he said with another smile as they straightened their clothes and moved to the door. Just before they exited the small room, Erik held his hand out, grinning as Charles bashfully twinned their fingers together and leaned against his side.

Erik swung the door open with his powers, and they stepped out together, hand in hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK did anyone recognize the kid playing with David? Completely different fandom, talking left field here! I hope you're still with me! Comment below let me know!!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charles vs Raven

Charles stepped out of the crèche after dropping the kids off for the day. He and Erik had decided to put them into the same care group so they wouldn’t feel alone and each of them had pick up and drop off privileges for both kids.

He was sure that the women who ran the crèche thought they were married, and he liked the idea enough not to disabuse them of the notion.

Since the night of the Alliance meeting, Charles and Erik had been spending far more time together than apart so their childcare system just made sense.

Or so he told himself.

In spite of their increased interaction, and semi shared parenting duties, there had been no repeat of their intense make out session, much to Charles’ chagrin.

He had been embarrassed to have thrown himself at his neighbor in that manner, especially so soon after getting out of a serious relationship. His friendship with Erik was rapidly becoming the most important relationship in his life and he didn’t want to ruin that with meaningless sex.

“I’m sorry, and I hope I didn’t lead you on last night. I’m just not in any position to be starting a new relationship right now. I- I need to focus on us,” he had jostled David lightly in emphasis, “I hope this doesn’t change things.” He had finished awkwardly, nearly breathless with anticipation of the other man’s response.

Erik had simply smiled enigmatically and finished cutting up Lorna’s breakfast as he replied, “it's fine, Charles, I’m just happy to see you both doing so well.”

And that was it; he seemed genuinely pleased to leave it at that. Charles almost didn’t know how to feel about Erik’s easy acceptance of his request. That kiss had certainly been something to write home about, at least in his mind, and Erik had felt equally effected at the time.

Had something changed? Now he was too nervous to even try and glimpse Erik’s thoughts on the matter, worried that he’d made a fool of himself.

That had been weeks ago, and they had soon settled into an easy routine of Charles waking up and handling instant breakfast for him and David before nudging Erik awake and giving him time to get himself and Lorna started for the day.

Then, more often than not, he dropped Davey off with the Lehnsherr’s for Erik to ferry both kids to crèche on his way to the shop. Since Charles got off earlier, what with class schedules and all, he typically collected the kids and tried to keep them entertained until Erik called them all over to his place for dinner.

It was a nice set up. Idyllic really, and Charles couldn’t help but guiltily compare it to the controlled chaos of his life with Regina.

He knew it wasn’t a fair comparison. He and Erik weren’t together. They were friends, and he was still recovering from a broken home.

Or so he kept reminding himself when he walked the kids over for dinner only to find a sweaty, shirtless god of a man preparing a gourmet feast often without the use of his hands.

He was glad of the practice he’d gotten over the last few weeks of controlling his telepathy without medication, he was sure he would have been bombarding the sexy German with waves of lust on a near constant basis without it.

Charles snapped himself out of his reverie. Now was not the time for inappropriate personal fantasies of his best friend.

Not that there was ever _really_ a time for that.

Today was one of his class free days, and while he normally would have spent the day alternately grading papers and playing with David, who he kept with him when he didn’t have to physically go to the college, today was different. He had finally agreed to meet with Raven at a local café.

She had been after him about it since their confrontation at the Alliance meeting. But, having no real desire to see her for the first time in his life, he had kept putting it off.

He blamed this phenomenon on Erik. There was something so liberating about truly being accepted for all that he had to offer. He loved how normal he felt around Erik and the kids.

Lorna was young enough to have quickly adapted to two telepaths without a hitch. She had even been trying to project to him lately, though her thoughts were mostly a jumble of colors, images, and feelings interspersed with a mishmash of German and English words that often confused him more that her rudimentary verbal skills ever could.

She at least seemed to be having better luck with David, who understood her gibberish whether spoken or projected. Or perhaps the little boy just spoke Lorna, as Erik liked to joke.

It was perfect; they never flinched when he brushed their minds, or admonished him to stay out. It was everything he’d never known he was missing. The comfort he felt with them had the side effect of highlighting the deficiencies in his other interpersonal relationships. Particularly this one.

He paused for a moment as he reached the café, running a quick mental scan to find that Raven was already waiting for him. He flinched back as she roughly repelled his light touch, irritation flaring in her surface thoughts.

He sighed and straightened his spine, best to get this over with. Sooner begun sooner done, he opened the door and informed the host that his party had already arrived and moved towards the table in the back corner where his sister sat waiting, blue and beautiful and dressed to the nines.

Charles felt his customary flare of joy at the sight of her, but it faded as he felt her apprehension at his approach. Her mind felt like steel wool against sensitive skin and he tightly tethered his power to avoid brushing against it.

“Raven.”

“Charles, I’m glad you came,” she smiled.

“You could have fooled me.”

She tensed at that, “I like my privacy, there’s no crime in that.”

“No, there isn’t,” he agreed calmly, then sat and waited for her to make her move.

She seemed surprised by his silence and once again he had it driven home how hard he’d struggled his whole life to make everyone around him comfortable with no concern for his own well being.

“I was surprised when you agreed to see me, you’ve been blowing me off for weeks,” she finally cut right to it.

“I’ve been busy, Raven, my life has been in a bit of upheaval as I’m sure you’re aware.”

“I know. And I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you after everything with Reggie,” she murmured, contrite.

“Thank you, Raven, we’re doing fine though.” He reassured, smiling slightly at the thought of Erik and the kids.

They shared a tense smile as their waiter appeared and took their drink orders, leaving them with menus to peruse. They sat in semi awkward silence as he delivered their drinks and took their orders before collecting the menus and being on his way.

“Did you see the way he looked at me?” She griped as soon as he was out of earshot.

“No, I didn’t notice.”

“So rude, like I’m a freak or something, baselines can be so-“

“He’s not baseline,” Charles cut her off somewhat impatiently, ignoring her shocked glance at the direction the waiter had gone. “That’s the real problem here isn’t it Raven? If someone looks baseline they’re just not mutant enough for you.”

“That’s not the case, Charles; you know we accept all mutants at the center.”

“Yes, because I insisted upon it, you seem to think that if a mutant can pass as baseline, they don’t make the cut!”

“It’s harder for us, you have to admit, and not everyone is as lucky as me! Most physical mutations can’t conveniently be hidden at the drop of a hat.”

“That’s the point of all this, for us to become more visible, to support each other. To educate humans so they won’t be as afraid. People only fear what they don’t understand.”

“Fine then, if the waiter’s a mutant, then why was he staring at me?” She challenged defiantly.

“Maybe he sees what I see, a beautiful young woman.”

She flushed a light purple and looked away, “I don’t want someone who only wants be because I’m exotic.”

“You’re sounding pretty hard to please,” Charles remarked humorously, “A mutant with a physical mutation who is attracted to you not because of or in spite of your own mutation? Is that right?”

She smiled at how ridiculous it sounded; “Well when you put it like that…” they traded brief smiles before the mood down shifted again.

“I really came to meet you because of the holidays coming up.”

“Oh? What does that have to do with anything?”

“Raven, David is turning one soon and you wouldn’t believe how much he can pick up on, how strong he is, even so young.”

The smile she leveled at him at the mention of his son faded as he continued to mention his mutation and power level.

“That’s why I wanted to talk to you as well. I read a book, Charles. And I think it might be a good compromise for everyone.” She beamed hopefully, the image of the book crystal clear at the forefront of her mind.

Charles recoiled in horror at the sight, “You read that and you want me to do that to _my son_?!” he snapped loudly, forgetting to lower his voice. Raven jerked back in surprise and flushed a deeper purple as all eyes turned their way before Charles turned their attention back to their own conversations.

 _~I’m too upset not to yell so well do it this way.~_ She gasped at the clarity of his voice in her mind and instinctively threw up shields to block him out. _~No, Raven, not this time.~ H_ e held the connection with surprising ease, given the struggle she put up _~_ _That girls' father blocked her telepathy in her own mind. He thought it would cure her, make her baseline, instead it drove her mad and she eventually committed suicide.~_

Raven paled at that, and he saw that she hadn’t researched the case beyond the study presented in the book. That calmed him slightly, though not as much as she would have liked.

“He used a machine, Charles! He didn’t know what he was doing! You would know, you’d never hurt Davey, there would be no risk! Just block it away until he’s old enough to decide for himself if he wants it or not!”

~ _And if he doesn’t want it and it drives him mad? If it’s too strong and he can’t learn to control it? Then what? I’ll have ruined my son’s life to make small minded people more comfortable! People who don’t deserve his company if they can’t accept him for who he is!~_ he pushed his chair back jerkily and stumbled to his feet in haste.

Raven stiffened at the implication inherent in his words, “Charles, please don’t go, I didn’t mean-“

“Yes, yes you did, Raven and I can’t I won’t put up with this anymore. Maybe if Davey wasn’t a telepath, hell maybe even if I hadn’t met Erik, I would have continued to think this was my lot in life-to be treated like a second class citizen because of who I am and how I was born. But I’ve changed, Raven. I see things differently now.”

“Charles, please, you’re my brother!” tears filled her bright yellow eyes and slipped through the rivulets between her scales.

“I am Rave, and I always will be, but don’t think that I’ll stand by and let you make my son feel like a monster, I’ve let you treat me like one for far too long.” He managed to choke out around the knot in his throat.

“I’m sorry, please sit down, let’s talk this out,” she pleaded.

“I have nothing more to say that I haven’t said before and until you can trust me, we have nothing to say to each other. Goodbye Raven.” He turned and walked out of the café, still keeping everyone’s mind off the dramatic scene taking place in their midst.

After a moment he felt Raven hurry after him, and quickly hid himself from view, standing just in front of her as she stepped out of the café and looked around for him frantically.

Purely out of curiosity, he peeked into her mind, just to see if he had made any impact on her at all.

He felt her panic at his disappearance, her confusion that the conversation had gotten so far out of hand, and her conviction that he would come around someday, she just had to wait him out. Erik would leave, no non psionic would stay and he would realize she was right all along.

Though her thoughts simply confirmed that he’d done the right thing for himself and his son, he felt a near crippling wave of despair fill his heart. He clamped down on the feeling so he wouldn’t project it to the whole block. Hell, the way he was feeling he might bring the whole city to a grinding halt.

Taking one more long look at his sister, he tucked his hands into his pockets and became one of the milling thousands of New Yorkers lost in their own thoughts. He took comfort in the cacophony of minds surrounding him, losing himself in the blur of their thoughts, from the mundane to the surprising.

He wandered until he stopped and found himself standing in an unknown neighborhood, wondering what had caught his attention, he moved out of the path of traffic and looked at the door of the shop that had somehow broken his reverie.

NYC Muscle.

He flushed as he realized he had subconsciously tracked Erik, needing the comfort and acceptance he had only ever received from the other man. Just as he was about to slink away silently, fully intending to wait until the kids were in bed to explain the situation he felt Erik nudge his mind.

_~Are you going to stand there all day or are you coming in? ~_

Charles sighed and went in _~I’m sorry, my friend, I didn’t mean to come here I was just wandering and~_

 _~You found my mind out of millions?~_ he felt the low pulse of arousal fill Erik’s mind as it usually did when there was any mention of a powerful mutation, but particularly Charles’

~ _Yes~_ he flushed as Erik stepped into the nearly empty lounge, startling the receptionist who had been eyeing Charles warily; he supposed he didn’t look like the car aficionados they usually saw.

“Angel, this is Charles, he’s here to watch me work for a while.”

“Would that we could all be so lucky,” she flirted shamelessly, fluttering her eyelashes at the handsome mechanic who ignored her entirely to focus on Charles.

“Follow me.”

“Where are we going?”

“Locker room, to get you some coveralls, you’ll get dirty here Charles.” In his accent and low modulated voice, that line sounded like pure seduction and caused a flutter in the smaller man’s abdomen as they stepped into a back hallway with doors leading off the sides.

Erik loaned him a pair of mostly clean coveralls which were comically oversized on Charles, causing both men to laugh as they rolled up the sleeves and legs to make a more comfortable fit.

Charles then pulled slip covers over his shoes and followed Erik to his work area, a large room filled with what appeared to be a fully dismantled car, there was no one else in attendance and the sound of classic blues records filled the air.

“It’s a Rolls Royce, I’m rebuilding it.”

“Wow. That’s amazing, Erik. This looks like it took forever to disassemble.”

“Not really. I’m almost done, then I can clean it, fix it reassemble it.” He looked so delighted at the prospect in his own understated way that Charles had to smile.

“Well, don’t let me get in the way.”

Erik smiled and went back work, content to work and be watched without conversation.

After about an hour, Charles shifted in his seat and Erik eyed him knowingly, “here,” he handed over a silver piece about the size of his hand along with a rag. “Clean that and tell me what happened.”

Charles smiled sadly, “Can I just show you?”

“Whatever’s easiest for you.”

So he replayed the events in the café while studiously cleaning the –whatever Erik had given him to clean. He refused to look at the other man’s face, or even read his emotions, not wanting to see anymore negativity. What if, on some level, even Erik was afraid of him?

He didn’t want to know.

He was so focused on his cleaning that he didn’t look up, even after the memory ended, so he was taken by surprise when Erik pulled him up into a tight embrace and simply held him.

“I know it was hard, but it was right.” He murmured to the telepath.

“I know,” Charles sighed, inhaling the musk of _oil, sweat, Erik_ that filled his senses.

“I can’t believe she mentioned that book, I read it when it came out. It’s terrible what happened to that girl.” Erik pulled back slightly to look at him.

“Raven didn’t know-“

Erik silenced him with a look. “She _should_ have. That book had the opposite impact on me; it made me see telepathy as any other mutation. No more no less.”

Charles gave a small smile at that, “no wonder you’re so comfortable with me.”

“Well, you’re easy to be comfortable around,” he said gently, “would you be surprised to know I used to feel the same as your sister?" he looked abashed at Charles' surprised expression."My mutation saved us from my father. I hated him, I blamed him for being weak, for being so-human. I was filled with anger, overflowing all the time.”

“What changed?” Charles asked, curious. Aware of the anger that the other man still grappled with, coupled with nightmares of his childhood, Erik was surprisingly calm and level headed for what he had been through.

“My mother, one day she told me ‘There are only two kinds of people in the world, bubuleh. Do you know who they are?’ and I was thinking, strong and weak, human and mutant but she says ‘good and bad, everyman has to choose for himself what kind of person he wants to be.' 

That changed everything for me. We are all the same, really. My father is human yes, but so is my mother, so is my sister, so is my daughters' mother. He is bad, they are good. You are good, that’s all I need to know.”

“That’s a beautiful memory, my friend, thank you for sharing it with me,” Charles all but whispered.

“What are friends for?” he asked softly taking a moment to gaze into those beautiful crystalline eyes.

“Now, let me wrap up here and we can head out a bit early, maybe take the kids for a treat.”

“Oh, no Erik, I can’t take you from your work, that’s terrible, I’ll go get the kids, we’ll see you at hom-at the building.” He stuttered guiltily, looking confused when Erik laughed.

“Charles, I get paid by the hour, the longer it takes me to finish, the better, also I could have easily done this in less than a day, but I have bills to pay.”

“But-“

“The owner won’t let me charge for less than 60 hours of work for a full rebuild. I may as well use my time!”

Charles grinned at the other man’s childish enthusiasm to skive off work early, “Alright, you’ve convinced me, but I’m still not sold on a treat.”

“Oh, I’ll convince you, don’t worry.” He winked with a grin.

Charles didn’t doubt him for a moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, that got pretty sad, there will be fluff in here as well! I hope I'm not being too miserable, this is my first attempt at angst so let me know what you think so far! 
> 
> Your comments are the best, you guys really keep me writing, I can't thank you enough for all your support thus far!! XOXOXO!!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Halloween!!

The holidays were coming up quickly, and though Charles usually spent them with Raven, he had been serious about cutting her out of his life until she could accept his ability.

Had he ever taken the time to imagine the holidays without her at his side, he likely would have pictured a lonely affair comprised of him, a bottle of wine, and a series of classic films for company. Instead, much to his relief, he was busier than ever and rarely had a moment to himself. He had already been excited to share his love of the holiday season with his son, this was his first Halloween/Thanksgiving/Christmas, and Charles planned to make the most of it. He was only too happy to include his new neighbors in their seasonal rituals.

Halloween was apparently not a popular holiday in Germany, so while Erik was familiar with the concept, he had never personally celebrated it. Lorna, a drama queen much like her father, was thrilled to be given a chance to take her regular game of dress up on the road. The evening of the 31st found Charles putting the finishing touches on his farmers costume-which was just denim overalls, work boots, and an oversized plaid shirt that he’d stolen from an ex and never gotten rid of.

David was a plush pumpkin, and so cute that Charles had taken and posted ten photos before they even left the house to meet up with Lehnsherr’s. He was contemplating taking another since Davey was waddling around with his little stem knocked askew in the cutest possible manner when he felt Erik’s mind spark in amusement and begin moving towards them down the hall.

“Ready to go my boy?” Charles asked eagerly, his excitement spreading to his son who laughed happily and stumbled towards him, bracing one hand on the couch.

“Tik aw tweets!” Lorna pipped from the other side of the door, David yelped and gibbered excitedly at the sound. He had been trying to speak aloud lately, a new development since he had been spending more time with Lorna and other verbal children at crèche.

“Yes, Tricks or Treats, Charles knock knock,” Came Erik’s dry reply, though he could feel the other man’s joy pressing against the edges of his mind.

He lifted Davey in one arm and swung the door open with the other, “What do you think? Oh my!” He gasped, at the sight in front of him. By mutual agreement they had decided not to share their costumes until the night of, Charles had been hard pressed not to peak a few times when he caught Erik turning ideas over in his mind.

“Adorable,” Erik stated, taking them in with a soft look on his face and reaching out to pinch Davey’s fat face to make him squeal, “You must be a prize winning farmer, I’ve never seen a cuter pumpkin.” Charles blushed red at the look in the other man’s eye as he said it.

“You two look lovely as well,” he choked back a laugh at Erik’s glare. “You’re the one who told me Halloween is not scary here for children, besides, Lorna loves being a princess!” he defended with a hot blush.

“And being a plumber isn’t so different than being a mechanic?”

“I’m Pincess Peach!” The toddler announced, the pink of her gown nicely offsetting her vibrant green hair.

“I know darling, and you look very regal.” Charles reached down to tousle her hair only to realize she was wearing an actual crown.

“What? I wasn’t giving her a fake one!”

Charles couldn’t help but burst out laughing at that, “I would expect nothing less, Erik, honestly. Alright are we ready to go?”

They spent a pleasant hour traipsing around the building to doors with signs on them, being exclaimed over. Lorna loved the attention, not to mention the candy, while David seemed to derive the most pleasure from the happy mental states of everyone they spoke to. He was happier and more content than Charles had seen him since before Regina left, charming all the mothers in the neighborhood with his dimples and gummy smile.

Soon it was nearing seven o’clock and it was time to head to the mutant center for their Halloween celebration. Erik had been hesitant to, knowing that Raven would almost certainly be in attendance, but Charles had been adamant that he wanted to see his friends and have a nice night out, Raven be damned. So they went, this time in Charles’ car with Erik driving and both children properly restrained in the back seat.

“And there will be games, and more candy, and bobbing for apples!” Charles was excitedly saying, getting them all worked up for the party. Erik nodded along to whatever he was on about, simply enjoying the drive; there was something so Zen about it for him. The metal of the car, the other vehicles and buildings, the magnetic force of the earth binding them all together, for him, this was the party, and it was over all too soon. He was reluctant to get out of the car and go into the center which was bustling with activity.

Charles chuckled at his forlorn expression, “Just think, when we leave, you get to drive us home again!”

“I’ll hold that thought,” he grumped as they unloaded the kids from the car and headed inside. As it was, he ended up enjoying himself more than he thought possible. He and Charles took endless pictures of the kids palling about, Lorna adorably towing David by the hand and helping him up when he fell over due to his bulky costume weighing him down.

“They are so sweet, she’s a good big sister,” said a tall blonde woman dressed as a tiger, watching the two of them cling to Charles’ leg as he tried to pose with them for a picture.

“Oh, she’s” Erik went to correct her then looked again at the scene in front of him of Charles kneeling with one arm around each kid trying to get them to look at Erik and smile at the same time. Easier said than done, “yeah, she really is.” He snapped the picture and set it as his background without hesitation.

Hopefully Charles wouldn’t look too far into it, and would just think Erik liked the picture. The last thing he wanted to do was scare the other man away with his romantic intentions.

He knew that Charles was leery of relationships because of the disaster area that was his personal life. To his way of thinking, his telepathy made him unlovable, a pariah. Any time they seemed close to acknowledging the spark between them, Charles would pull away, afraid to risk what they had to reach for something more.

As Erik watched Charles get the kids warm cinnamon cider and help them drink it, he had the sudden urge to kiss the other man, taste the cider on his cherry lips and pull him close. He shook it off, willing to play the long game when it came to winning Charles. Everyone who’d met Charles, who’d had him and let him get away was a fool, and Erik wasn’t about to add his name to their number because of a moment of impatience.

When the desire to hurry things along reared its ugly head, usually when he caught Charles eyeballing him while he cooked or tussled with the kids, he simply took a moment to remember his mother. It had taken her years after his father left to even consider dating again. The aftermath of their relationship had destroyed her faith in herself, had destroyed her as a person and it had taken her years to rebuild. Charles was going through something similar now, losing his girlfriend and his sister, the rejection he’d faced at every turn once others found out he was a telepath. No, Erik was no fool, and Charles was worth the wait.

~~

For his part, Charles was enjoying the party far more than even he had expected. For an alcohol free family friendly party, it was surprisingly fun. He would have to get Erik to send him these pictures later; he had been clicking away like it was going out of style. Charles smiled at the thought as he looked up to find the other man in the crowd of milling parents only to see him quietly conversing with a woman with dark curly hair made up like a butterfly. She was lovely and to his eye, looked to be flirting with his neighbor.

Charles fought back a surge of jealousy, he’d made it clear to Erik that he wasn’t ready for anything more than friendship; he had no right to get upset if he found companionship elsewhere. He knew Erik liked women; Lorna was proof enough of that, but he’d gotten the impression that the other man preferred men. But maybe that was just wishful thinking.

Across the room, Erik said something that caused the woman to laugh lightly and rest her hand on his arm; they both turned to look at Charles and the kids who were play wrestling on the floor at his feet. He blushed and looked away. When he glanced up again, the butterfly was gone and Erik was making his way towards them with a spring in his step, or as close to that as the other man ever got.

“I see you made a new friend,” he quipped, immediately regretting it, obvious jealousy much?

Erik smiled at that, “Why Charles, I thought you brought me here to make friends!” he laughed at the other man’s blush and bent to scoop David into his arms. The little pumpkin flopped comically in his grip, foiled in his attempt to remove Lorna’s crown. “Now, now, none of that little man,” he soothed sweetly. “Anything else you want to do, it’s almost 8:30, you know.”

Charles looked surprised, “I didn’t know, time ran away with me, “he paused for a moment and chewed his lower lip thoughtfully, unknowingly drawing Erik’s gaze like filings to a magnet, “well, I did promise Lorna bobbing for apples…”

Erik cleared his throat and shifted David under his arm like a sack of flour, “Well, if you promised…”

Charles smiled and gripped Lorna’s hand, “We’ll be right back, ready to bob for apples love?”

“Apples! Yes Chars!! Yum Apples!!” She shrieked gleefully.

“Alright, let’s go!” he graced Erik with a bright smile and all but skipped off with the princess in tow.

“Your daddy is a darling man,” he informed the baby seriously, lifting him to eye level, “did you know that?” David simply grasped his nose and sent a wave of warmth/trust/affection his way. Erik smiled, "don’t worry, you’ve already got me charmed.” He kissed the little copy of Charles on the tip of his button nose earning a smile in return. He walked the boy in a small circle, letting him nestle beneath his chin drowsily watching the crowd, Erik hoped to put him to sleep before they got in the car, the kids around them were clearly winding down for the night, but the party was still going strong.

Apparently there was some after hour’s party starting at 10 for adult mutants to enjoy the festivities without worrying about prejudice. Erik thought that was silly, Halloween was the one night even extreme physical mutations wouldn’t draw a second look. But to each his own, he sighed as he felt the baby in his arms perk up slightly. “What is it buddy? Not ready to sleep?” He received a surge of nervous confusion in response and found himself finding Charles in the crowd and moving towards him without making a conscious decision to do so.

Charles and Lorna were across the room, next in line for apple bobbing, the telepath was unpinning her tiara and explaining the game, likely with images to help her understand. She looked so excited, Erik was pleased at the idea of getting a picture of this to send to his mother. They were about half way there when Lorna stepped up to the barrel with Charles holding her by the waist for support, Erik smiled at the sight and felt David relax in his arms as they drew nearer to the pair, “Big day, little man, did you just want your daddy? Is that all?” He jostled the baby slightly, hoping to soothe him.

“Who the fuck are you?” Erik took an instinctive step back and turned slightly to shield David with his body, though he felt a bit silly doing so once he took in the appearance of his interrogator. She was tiny and pretty with dark silky hair that fell long down her back; she was dressed as a sexy witch and was pulling it off nicely.

“Are you deaf or something? I said who the fuck are you?”

Erik bristled at her tone, even more so once David whimpered in his arms and pressed his face into his shoulder. “None of your business, Miss,” he all but snarled, “now if you’ll excuse me.”

“I don’t believe I will, actually.” She reached out for his arm, but he caught her hand easily with the metal of her bracelet and stopped her from making contact. She looked surprised for a moment before her face twisted into a frown.

“Fuck is this?” she swayed slightly in her heeled boots and Erik caught a whiff of whiskey clinging to her breath. He felt his anger spark again, “this is a family event,” he hissed, not wanting to draw any more attention than the rude drunk already had. “Settle down the language and step aside.”

“You got some issue? I just wanna see my kid, I’m allowed to see my kid!” she snapped loudly, too loudly and drew stares from nearly everyone in the room. Erik felt his face heat at the attention even as David sniffled and refused to lift his head from where he was pressed against Erik’s chest. He felt like a fool. That was David’s problem; the little boy had sensed his mother, her drunken state and had tried to protect himself and Erik by taking them to Charles.

_~I’m sorry I didn’t understand little man.~_

He got a flood of sorrow and anxiety in return. Erik was only pleased to note that the baby still seemed to feel safe in his arms as he wasn't projecting actual fear at the moment, nor was he crying. 

“You must be Regina.” He supplied evenly, trying to keep her attention fixed on him even as he saw Charles moving towards them swiftly, moving people out of his way with a mental nudge. 

He glimpsed Lorna collecting her prize from Armando, the mutant running the game, and one of the few people Erik had actually enjoyed meeting. He seemed to be doing his utmost to keep her from noticing the quiet confrontation, Erik made a mental note to buy the man a drink as thanks.

Erik was relieved to note that they were no longer the center of attention and no one seemed to be paying them any particular mind.

“You’ve heard of me? All good things I bet,” she laughed brashly at her own joke as Charles arrived at her side.

“Hi Reggie,” he said affably, affecting an air of calm over the situation that had not been there a moment before.

“Charles! Don’t **fucking** sneak up on me like that! Whatever, tell this prick I wanna see my Davey! Such a cute little pumkiiinn.” She sang the last few words and swayed forwards again, but Erik kept his hold on her jewelry preventing her from making any headway.

“We talked about this, anytime you want to see David, just let me know and we’ll set up a play date, surprises go against the custody arrangement.” Charles said, drawing her attention back to him.

“You **made** me sign that, **you made me leave my son** , you use your head to get everything you want don’t you?” She sneered. “Fucking telepaths, I fell for it you know, the rumors…” Charles flushed a deep red and glanced at Erik out of the corner of his eye, wondering what the other man was thinking about all this, but not about to take the time to look.

“Reggie, look at me,” he instructed, reading her surface thoughts as best he could through her mutation and the haze of alcohol clouding her brain. He sighed at what he saw, angry beyond belief at her for ruining their night. She had been "pre gaming" the party and arrived early for the adult party, she hadn't had any intention of seeing her son until she caught sight of him. He pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation.

“Charles, what did you do?” Erik asked in a hushed tone.

Charles looked up quickly, “I just um, paused the room for a moment, to think about what to do.”

“You paused the room?”

“Uhm, yes?”

“But not me?” he asked smugly.

“No, I didn’t even think…”a look of surprise flickered across his face, he hadn’t even considered pausing Erik, they were in this together. He said as much, earning him one of Erik’s trademark grins.

“Good, I like the way you think.”

“Oh stop it now is not the time for your antisocial attitudes.”

“Oh, I think now is exactly the time. It’s Halloween yes?”

“Yes, so?” Charles asked, wary of Erik’s sudden glee.

“Tricks or treats, Charles, let’s play a trick on our friend here, she certainly doesn’t deserve a treat.”

“Erik we can’t!”

“Why not? I’m not saying we do anything big, just a little something as payback for tonight, you know her, what would bother her?”

“No Erik I’m not that kind of…” he trailed off looking into David’s bright blue eyes, just a few minutes before he'd been as happy as a boy could be and now he was projecting sorrow and discomfort even as he clung to Erik for dear life. Tricks or treats hmm? “Well, there is one thing…”

~~

“So how did it feel Charles?”

“It felt great!, I feel great! I’ve never tricked anyone, though it’s not really a trick is it?”

“It’s a prank Charles don’t sweat it, how long will it last?”

“Oh, just the night, HA! she loves to get smashed, but especially on Halloween, oh my god, to see the look on her face!” He dissolved into laughter again.

“So you sobered her up?”

“Yep, and put her off the smell of alcohol for the next several hours. Now _her_ Halloween is ruined too!”

“I don’t know, I think we redeemed ours with your stunt.”

“Yeah,” Charles sat back with a sigh, “we kind of did, didn’t we?”

“We definitely did,” Erik agreed, happily nestled on his couch drinking beers with his best friend.

Charles had soothed the kids’ anxiety away with barely a thought, and both of them had fallen into a deep, happy sleep on the car ride home. They were currently tucked into Lorna’s bed knocked out from all the excitement.

“Look at that smile! You enjoyed yourself tonight, didn’t you?” Charles asked, clearly still worried that the other man would be put off his presence.

“You know, I really did,” he chuckled then laughed, prompting Charles to ask, “What is it?”

“Well, you said this is not a major holiday, I can’t wait to see what you do for the big ones!”

Charles rolled his eyes and elbowed him in the ribs, “keep up that attitude and only Lorna will be invited to Thanksgiving.” He threatened.

“Oh, but then who would cook?” Erik asked innocently, laughing as Charles crossed his arms and sank into a pout. “I would, of course.”

“I don’t know how I feel about you threatening my daughter,” Erik replied as seriously as he could muster, hiding a smile behind his beer.

“And to think, I was going to ask you to share in another Halloween tradition, one I’m participating in for the first time this year.” Charles said loftily, peaking Erik’s interest, which he indicated with a raised eyebrow. “Want to help me eat the kids’ candy?” he grinned mischievously.

“I thought you’d never ask.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that was a cute night! and what did we think of drunk Regina? She's awful right? More to come of course and please keep letting me know what you think of the story, any particular things you want to see, and of course if you notice any typos!! I love you all, you are my inspiration! XOXO!!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally Feelings

David’s first birthday fell on Wednesday the week before Thanksgiving, being one, he had no clear concept of birthdays, but he could pick up on the excitement surrounding the event clearly enough.

They held a small party for him at the crèche he and Lorna attended and Charles had purchased a tiny cake for David to have all to himself. The party was a success, though it was easy to please five toddlers with cake and simple games so Charles didn’t really count it as a feat.

Much to his pleasure, Erik had taken time from work to attend the party as well and so made an appearance in many of the photos they took of the event. He liked the thought of the other man being a part of such a permanent memory.

He had the photos developed later that week and added them to David’s baby book. Regina had started it and they had both kept it up as the year went on. This would be the last entry for his first year.

He flipped through it casually, smiling at the ultrasound pictures, the images of them holding David for the first time. Bringing him home, introducing him to Raven, meeting his grandparents. So many hundreds of memories frozen in time, most of them were now bitter sweet. He hadn’t seen Raven since their meeting at the café, and he hadn’t even sensed her mind at the Halloween party. Regina had made herself clear, and her parents were backing her wholeheartedly. As they should he thought, though not at the expense of their grandchild.

He flipped to a picture of his mother holding David, She was smiling at him with genuine delight, Sharon was still distant, but she definitely taken being a grandmother more than she had to motherhood. Charles couldn’t remember the last time she made the trip to the city, but she actually showed up for David’s party and interacted with him however briefly.

Charles grinned at a picture of her gently wiping frosting from her grandsons tiny fingers with a soft smile on her face, their matching blue eyes locked in a moment of perfect connection.

“What are you doing?” Charles looked up to see Erik leaning against the doorframe between the kitchen and living room, his lean body on display in worn blue jeans and an undershirt that brought out the green in his eyes. Charles didn’t answer for a moment, simply taking the other man in with a slight smile on his ruby lips. “Charles?” Erik asked a smile in his voice.

“I’m just putting these pictures away before I forget.”

“Do you have a favorite?” He wondered aloud, moving to sit next to where the other man knelt on the floor by the coffee table.

“From the party?”

“Yeah.”

“Actually I do,” he flipped ahead a few pages and tilted the book so Erik could see.

“Oh god, how did I miss that one?” he groaned as Charles laughed at the image of David and Lorna determinedly massaging frosting through her curls, matching frowns of concentration on their faces.

“That took forever to clear out; I found more sugar in her ear last night!” Charles lost the battle to hold in his laughter at the mixture of disgust and resignation printed on Erik’s face as he took in the picture.

“I think it’s sweet.”

“You would,” he griped playfully. The moment lapsed into comfortable silence as they looked through the book together.

“I like having you in here,” Charles said quietly, not looking up from his focused perusal of the book, resting his hand on a picture of Erik holding David and Lorna in either arm, wide smiles on all their faces.

“I like being in here,” Erik replied gently, turning the page to a picture of the four of them, Erik and Charles kneeling behind the kids, pressed together shoulder to hip. “I love it actually.” Charles heard the unspoken words in the sentiment and flicked his gaze to the other man, but he was still focused on the picture of the four of them.

“I always wanted a big family,” he remarked casually, throwing the telepath off his silent worry that he was looking too far into an innocuous statement of friendship.

“Really? How big?” he asked, surprised by the subject change.

“A few kids, pretty close in age I thought, I liked having a sister, but I’m much older so I never really saw her as a playmate and I’ve always envied people who have that relationship with their siblings.”

He took that in for a moment, “I do worry about Davey being lonely, I can’t imagine my childhood without Raven.” Erik smiled sadly at the longing in his tone. “I never really thought about how many kids I’d have, I was surprised by how excited I was to learn that Davey was on the way.”

“I know exactly what you mean, Lorna was in no way planned, and I wasn’t in the stable relationship I planned to bring my kids into, but I was so happy to become a father, it just felt right.”

“I can see that when you look at her, you’re a great dad.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, Charles, you’re not so bad yourself,” he teased lightly.

“Thanks,” he snorted at the faint praise and felt a soft blush creep up his cheeks as Erik tucked him under one arm and pulled him to lean against his side. He considered pulling away, putting some space between them, but discarded the notion before the thought had fully formed. It had been so long since he had been held, just held and he realized how much he had come to miss it.

Charles was a naturally tactile person but had learned to restrain his need for contact since figuring out how much it amplified his telepathy. Erik was one of the few people who ever willingly initiated contact with him, and he was loathe to break the other man of the habit. He loved falling into Erik’s carefully ordered mind, feeling his honest affection for his “little telepaths.” He had never repeated the phrase out loud, but it was how he thought of them in his mind and Charles found it hopelessly endearing. Curling his legs to one side, Charles snuggled up to the other man and leaned against his shoulder with a soft sigh, enjoying the physical and mental warmth he gleaned from their embrace.

“Better?” Erik asked, pressing his lips to the crown of his head. He had been doing that more often as well. Little subtle kisses here and there that Charles couldn’t bring himself to object to.

“Better,” he whispered feeling somewhat guilty at his weakness. He should be encouraging Erik to go out and meet people, not hoarding the other man’s attention and leading him on.

It had become clear that Erik was infatuated with him, was well on his way to being in love. And as much as he tried to deny it, Charles was flattered by the attention and was more than a little enamored with the other man as well. His relationship with Erik was like nothing he’d ever imagined for himself, there was truly no comparison between past friendships and romantic relationships to how they interacted with one another. Charles mentally berated himself once more for not making a decision, either be with Erik, or let him go, but he was afraid to lose what they had.

As much as he wanted to trust Erik, it was hard to unlearn a life of rejection, of being held at arm’s length by those he ached to hold. He was terrified to fall, afraid that Erik would pull away and leave him stranded and alone in love.

He thought of telling Erik to go out and meet someone, and tried to picture watching from the sidelines as he fell in love with someone else, someone who wasn’t afraid to return his affections. The thought burned through him like poison.

Charles then tried to picture building a relationship with Erik, moving in together, getting married, having more children, finally feeling like he belonged. It was good, had the potential to be great.

It was also terrifying.

There were so many ways it could go wrong. And if it failed, if they broke up he’d have lost his friend as well. He would truly be alone. He was paralyzed by indecision and hated himself for it. Charles had always wanted to be loved, had always reached for it with others but no one had ever reached back, now he had a chance for something good something real with someone who had reached for him first and he was too afraid to take the risk. But perhaps there was another way; after all, it wasn’t a decision he had to make on his own.

He tilted his head on its resting place on Erik’s broad shoulder and looked up at the other man, still looking through the photo album, until he noticed his silent perusal. “Yes, Charles?” He asked, amused as Charles lifted his head and leaned in close to press their lips together in a chaste kiss. When he pulled away Erik was watching him warily, his thoughts whirring a thousand miles an hour. “What was that?” he asked softly.

“Remember when I said I wasn’t ready for a new relationship?”

“Yes, and I understand why,” he grimaced as a mental image of Regina flickered over the surface of his mind.

Charles winced at the disgust his friend felt for his former lover, “Don’t worry, Erik I’m not still hung up on her. I’m fully over her, and I have you to thank for that.” He whispered.

Erik stilled at that, something Charles couldn’t place shifting in his eyes even as his mind spiked with frustration, “So that was a thank you kiss?”

“Something like that, yes. But not quite.”

“You’ve lost me Charles, what are you talking about?” He said gruffly, clearly irritated. 

“I’m talking about…the feelings I have for you. The same feelings I think you have for me.” Erik’s mind lit up with hope even as he sat stock still and waited for Charles to go on. “You know my issues with relationships, with trust. I wanted to be friends with you, Erik. I want to be friends with you, but in spite of my best intentions, I also want more.” Erik opened his mouth to speak when Charles shushed him gently with two fingers to his lips. “Let me finish. I need to get this all out or I won’t have the courage again.” He took a breath and continued. “I’ve never felt this way before Erik and it scares me. We aren’t even together and I feel more for you than I’ve ever felt for any of my past lovers. If I let myself fall for you and you can’t handle it-being with me-I’d have lost your love and your friendship and Erik, I can’t handle that. If the only way to have you in my life is as a friend then so be it, but if you want more, and I hope you want more and that I haven’t misread the situation, then let’s go into it with open eyes.”

Erik sat silently gazing into Charles’ bright blue eyes as they pleaded with him for understanding. He felt the telepaths presence lightly pressed against his mind, more restrained than usual as if the other man was expecting a harsh rebuff.

 _~Charles, come inside and see. There’s no way I can explain what you mean to me in words.~_ He projected softly, feeling Charles unwind his power from its tightly held coil and tentatively thread through his consciousness.

_~Are you sure my friend? ~_

_~You’ve been in my mind before, you’re always welcome~_ Erik soothed, a bit confused by his hesitation.

_~Yes, but that’s just thoughts, words, images, and most of them are projected. You’re inviting me in to look around; it’s an invasion of privacy. It’s wrong, I’ve never, no one’s ever…~_

_~I told you, Charles, I trust you, now please, come in. See how I feel about you. ~_

He took a deep breath and grasped Erik’s hand gently even as he pressed two fingers to his left temple and sank into the other mans’ mind. For a moment he simply enjoyed basking in Erik’s carefully ordered thoughts. His mind was a marvel and Charles thought he could happily stay forever.

 _~You can if you wish. ~_ He felt Erik’s amusement at the pleasure he was projecting.

_~You say that now. ~_

~ _I’ll say that always. ~_

Charles was taken aback by the honesty in that statement, here in the metal benders’ mind, there was no room for lies or obfuscation. _~You mean that. ~_

 _~I do. ~_ With that in mind, Charles began carefully sifting through Erik’s memories, only the recent ones since his move to New York. He felt his attraction for him physically, how all the memories they shared were tinged with a rosy glow. How his attraction had strengthened and deepened as the weeks passed. How he loved it when Lorna sleepily asked for 'Charves' when she first woke up in the morning. How badly he wanted to kiss him goodnight when they said their goodbyes at the end of the day. Erik left him to it, simply observing the process of the smaller man realizing how much he was loved.

As he was finishing up, Erik pressed images of their imagined future to the forefront of his mind. Years passed to his way of thinking, there were so many alternate futures, where they adopted more kids or conceived them with a surrogate. Where they lived the rest of their lives in the city or bought a house in the suburbs. Where he opened his own studio, his own restoration shop, where Charles won the Nobel Prize for genetics, that one made the telepath laugh with delight. Watching David and Lorna grow up together, mutant and proud.

Finally he showed him how lonely he’d been before they met, even before the move to New York. How Charles had cured him of that. How the best part of every day was waking up knowing that he’d see the other man. How patient he’d been, how even now he was willing to wait for Charles to be sure, to be ready. Because Erik was already thinking in terms of forever and he was just waiting for Charles to catch up.

By the time Charles gently withdrew from Erik’s mind, both men had tears streaming down their faces.

_~You were right to show me, I wouldn’t have believed you otherwise. I never would have imagined someone loving me in that way. ~_

_~So you believe me then? Now that you’ve felt my love? Now that you see that I’ll wait? I’m here Charles until you’ll have me. ~_

Charles smoothed his fingers over Erik’s cheeks, gently wiping away his tears, “I don’t know why people fall in love," he said softly. "There’s no rhyme or reason to it, I’ll never know why you love me, like I’ll never know just why I love you. But I do, oh god Erik, I love you with all my heart. I’m done waiting and being afraid. I’ll have you if you’ll have me.” He gasped as Erik pulled him into his arms and into a deep kiss. He used the moment of connection to flood the other man with his love, the love he’d tried and failed to contain. They pulled away from each other, panting for breath.

“I was a fool to think I could let you walk away, I kept trying to convince myself to let you go but I couldn’t, oh my love, I couldn’t.”

“You’ll never have to, liebling, I’ll always be here.”

“I know. You’ve been here all along.” With that, they melted back into another spine tingling embrace that lasted until dawn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi my loves! I hope you liked this Chapter, the boys are finally getting their act together, though of course they still have a long way to go! Let me know what you think, any questions you have or scenes you want to see, I'll do my best to oblige! XoXoX!!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sex, chapter rating is Mature, easy to skip if you don't want to read, non smut update soon!

Time seemed to fly past in a blur after that evening; they lived in a long moment of stolen kissed and heated glances that only stoked the fires of their desire for one another.

Unfortunately for their libidos any adult activities had to be postponed until both kids were asleep for the night. Bedtime began arriving earlier each night and Erik strongly suspected his wily neighbor of “helping” the kids fall asleep when they were particularly rambunctious. Since their sudden ability to fall asleep after only two stories and plenty of kisses benefitted him as well, he made the strategic decision not to call him on it.

“Just think, if they were older they’d wonder why they had to be put to bed at eight o’clock.” Charles gasped as Erik sucked a bruise onto the side of his throat, stubble stinging his Adams apple.

“We’ll just tell them if they want a lesson in family planning they can stay awake.” Erik growled against Charles’ smooth, pale skin as he rucked his shirt up and motioned impatiently for the telepath to fully remove it.

“Pushy tonight,” Charles teased as he obliged the silent request, baring his torso to the other man’s lustful gaze.

“Can you blame me? I’ve been waiting for this all day.” Erik quickly whipped his shirt off as well, evening the score. They fell back into each other ravenous for more. Hands smoothed over hipbones and tweaked nipples, Charles rutted his clothed erection against Erik’s perfect abs, gasping at the friction the motion created.

“You like that darling? I’ve always seen you looking.”

“How could I not look, have you seen yourself?” Charles demanded, incredulous. Erik smirked at that and looked at the smaller man through his eyelashes even as he allowed his fingers to drift to the button of Charles’ jeans.

“Well, I was busy looking at someone else,” he paused to kiss a line down the telepaths taught stomach as he undid the telepaths jeans with a light tug of his power, causing him to moan.  
 

~Oh, the way your mind lights up, Erik!~

“Stay there, keep feeling it,” Erik soothed even as he wrapped his hand around Charles clothed erection, causing the other man to buck up into his grip. This was the farthest their necking had gone so far, the other nights ending before too many clothes came off, but tonight Erik had no intention of stumbling back to his bedroom to finish off what they started together.

“Bedroom?” Charles panted against his mouth.

“Lead the way,” he rasped.

  
They crept down the hall, past Lorna’s room where the kids were sleeping; trying not to make any noise that would wake them and ruin the mood.

“Even that first night I wanted you in here under different circumstances,” Erik growled, wrapping his arms around Charles from behind as he used his ability to close and lock the door, causing Charles to moan and arch against him at the shift in his mind.

“Me too, these circumstances are much better," he gently pushed aside the memories from that frantic night, not wanting to be pulled out of the moment they'd created.

 _~Stay in here, show me if those rumors are true.~_ Charles blushed at that, and Erik was delighted to see that it spread to his upper chest, highlighting the freckles it encompassed along the way.

_~You’ve heard those?~_

_~Everyone’s heard those, Charles, what it's like being with a telepath, and having seen what you can do, I’m betting they’re true.~_ he said, grinding against that perfect ass. At that, Charles opened his mind and cast his consciousness into Erik’s binding them in a moment of sensual ecstasy, he shut out their inhibitions and natural shyness, and, using their shared trust he revealed their fantasies in a swirl of heated emotion.

“Yes, Charles, whatever you wish, I’m glad to see we want the same things.”

He smiled and turned in the circle of Erik’ embrace, “Please, it’s been so long, I need it.”

The sound of those posh toned begging pushed Erik to the limits of his self control. “Come then,” he lifted Charles into his arms, holding him by his plush ass as he wrapped deceptively long legs around his waist. Erik lowered Charles gently onto the bed and climbed up to range over him. Pausing to pull him into another all consuming kiss.

“I’m large.” He warned softly as he pulled away, somewhat anxious knowing it had been a problem for male partners in the past.

“I know,” Charles admitted shyly, their sustained connection allowing Erik to see Charles’ memory of him that first night, answering the door in nothing but his underpants.

“Naughty professor, couldn’t help yourself even then?” Erik teased as relief flooded his system, he’d have hated to disappoint Charles their first time.

“I wasn’t trying to notice! I just...couldn’t help seeing what I saw,” he defended clearly a bit embarrassed.

“And you liked what you saw?”

“Yes, I’ve thought of you since then, how you’d feel, filling me. More full then I’ve ever been.” Charles whispered against his throat.

“You can’t say things like that or we’ll be done before we start.”

 _~Mum’s the word, now please, please give me what we want.~_ Charles fluttered though his mind while arching into Erik’s weight.

 _~Anything, let me just~_ he reached into the nightstand and pulled out a bottle of lube as Charles shucked the rest of his clothes and tossed them off the side of the bed.

“You’re perfection,” Erik murmured as he warmed the slick with his fingers while Charles pulled him into another heated kiss. The first finger went in easily and felt amazing even second hand through their connection; the second went in smoothly as well, as did the third. “Did you prep yourself before or is it always this easy?” He murmured against Charles tight abs, dipping his tongue into the telepaths belly button, eliciting a deep shiver.

 _~You could say I’ve been anticipating the event.~_ Erik’s mind was suddenly flooded with images of Charles fucking himself on his fingers each night after their make out sessions, the sudden influx of shared desire ratcheting his own arousal almost unbearably higher.

Charles moaned and hooked one leg around Erik’s narrow waist, ~don’t make me wait anymore. Please.”

"Alright love, just one more finger,” he whispered huskily, this one took a bit of work and by the time Charles was fully prepped, both men were breathing heavily and slick with sweat.

Erik moved away slightly, just enough to strip fully before pressing himself against his lover fully nude for the first time. They both moaned at the contact.

“Here, let me.” Charles reached for him eagerly and proceeded to slick Erik’s cock slowly, lavishing attention on each aching inch of his veiny prick until the metal bender grasped his wrists in one long fingered hand to make him stop.

Charles blushed at the desperation that filled Erik’s mind, “Sorry, you’ve a lovely cock I got carried away,” he said softly.

“Never apologize for that,” Erik assured with a strangled laugh, quickly rolling on a condom and moving to lie back against the headboard.

“Come here love,” he murmured, cock twitching as Charles crawled towards him over the rumpled sheets, looking of all things like a sprite from one of his teenage fantasies come to life.

 _~You’re too generous my friend,~_ Charles bloomed under the praise.

“You’re too hard on yourself,” Erik admonished lightly, loving to lavish attention on the smaller man.

“I hope you plan to be hard on me,” he teased as he moved to mount Erik, large workers hands splayed over his hips.

“Not this first time.”  
Charles heart fluttered at the implication that they would be in this position time and time again.

“Lots of positions, really, I’ve a vivid imagination," Erik assured as he helped him find his balance.

Charles reached behind him and steadied Erik’s cock with his right hand, while using his left to brace himself against one broad shoulder. They both gasped a shuddering breath as the head of Erik’s broad cock breached the tight ring of muscle at Charles’ entrance.

He slowly worked his way down the shaft, sinking slowly inch by inch until the other man was fully seated inside him.

 _~Yes, Erik, right there, oh please, so full, so good!~_ He shared his rapture at holding his love so deep within him. He hadn't been lying when he said he'd be fuller than ever before, but he's underestimated how much he'd enjoy it, he made sure Erik knew that too.

_~Oh god, Charles you’re so tight, feel so good, yes, You like it? you love it? like that, ride me love.~_

Charles was only too happy to oblige and soon set up a rhythm that had Erik arching his neck, eyes hooded as he watched his gorgeous lover ride him with steadily growing confidence.

 _~So perfect, so handsome, god look at his eyes, that waist, broad shoulders, want to stay here forever, yes yes, just like that~_ Charles flushed as Erik’s praise and pleasure filled him to overflowing.

Before long, each man’s long abstinence made itself known and soon they were hurtling towards satisfaction, each trying to hold out longer than his partner. In the end, Charles lost that particular race with Erik nailing his prostate on every thrust and pulling him off at the same time. He tumbled over the edge into bliss and pulled Erik with him through their empathetic link.

The shared orgasm was the most blindingly intense of Erik’s life and completely reaffirmed his idea that whoever gave up Charles belonged in the madhouse. They lay panting, curled together in the warmth of their shared bed until Erik gently dislodged himself from his lovers’ pliant body and left to get a warm towel to wipe them down.

Charles had fallen into a light doze, but woke once again when Erik climbed back into bed and spooned him from behind.

 _~You’re like a furnace~_ he snuggled back into his warmth comfortably.

 _~Let’s do that again as soon as possible~_ Erik shifted to accommodate Charles’ sleepy wriggling.

 _~I love your ideas; they’re the best, ~_ the telepath replied hazily, already on the cusp of nocturne.

 _~By the way, Charles, the rumors were vastly understated~_ Erik squeezed him tightly about the waist and nuzzled him gently behind one ear, hiding a smile as he felt the blood rush under his lovers skin in another endearing tell tale blush.

 _~So was 'I'm Large'~_ he retorted cheekily, happy not to be the only one flushed from more than good sex.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first time attempting to write a sex scene and I'm mortified lol. Please let me know what you think, be kind if you can, I'm really nervous about this! Thanks for the support, I live for your feedback, you comments are the highlight of my day XOXO!!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy Thanksgiving!!

“Vati! Vati!”

“Yes, princess?” Erik laughed at the look of cross impatience stamped on his daughters’ tiny face.

“Chars!!! Dabie!! I want!” She stamped her little foot to emphasize her point.

“I know we’ll be seeing them soon, love.”

“No! Now! Dabie!!” her green eyes filled with tears and threatened to spill over, “want Dabie!”

Erik felt his heart melt at her clear misery and he knelt before her to pull her into a tight hug, “Davey had to go see his mommy, remember? He and Charles will be back soon, and we’ll all have a nice dinner.”

“No mommy,” she sobbed, trying to pull out of his arms and wipe her nose on his shirt at the same time, “Daddy an Vati! No mommy!” Erik stiffened at her words, Charles had been trying to get David to call him Daddy by referring to himself that way whenever he spoke to the boy, perhaps Lorna had simply picked up on it faster than Charles’ stubborn son.

“Do you mean Charles, sweetheart?” He asked, still flabbergasted by her abrupt announcement.

“Chars is Daddy, Vati is Vati,” she explained miserably as she pressed her face against his chest, succeeding in soaking his shirt in a mixture of snot, tears, and drool guaranteed to keep his skin damp for hours. He sighed and lifted her into his arms, glancing at the clock to make sure the meal was proceeding as scheduled.

“Alright love, we need to get cleaned up before our guests arrive, how about a bubble bath?” he held his breath, wondering if she would take the bait. For once luck was on his side and she hiccupped into a tentative smile as he carried her to the bathroom. They spent the rest of the morning playing in the tub, Erik playfully styling her hair with baby shampoo, giving her crazy spikes and swirls that she loved, even as she splashed about with her water toys, after a brief hesitation he snapped a quick photo and sent it to Charles with no caption. He set his phone aside and rinsed her hair with a pink portion cup before drying her off in her Doc McStuffins towel.

“Ok, sweetheart, let’s go get dressed and we can pick out a game, ok?”

“Zuzzles, Vati!” she cheered happily, much to Erik’s delight.

“Puzzles? I think we have a few of those to choose from.”

“Zuzzles, now!” she demanded imperiously, stalking from the bathroom in her towel looking every inch a queen.

By the time he had her dried and dressed, it was time to baste the turkey again so he left her to choose a “zuzzle” and headed to the kitchen. Just as he was reclosing the oven door, his phone chimed. One message from Charles, it was a close up picture of David’s frown, so deep you could see his dimples. The caption read, _he’s displeased, keeps sending me mental images of you and Lorna like I’ve forgotten who you are. XX_

Erik chuckled at the picture and saved it to his phone, it was amazing how many photos he had of a kid that wasn’t even his. He smiled at the thought of David calling him Vati, and wondered if he should give Charles a heads up about Lorna’s new vocabulary but decided in the end to let her surprise the telepath in her own time.

Hopefully she wouldn’t scare the other man away.

He put the potatoes to boil and checked the rise on the bread before returning to Lorna’s room to work on five piece puzzles with a cantankerous toddler while trying not to miss his boyfriend too much.

~~

Charles was exhausted and couldn’t wait to get back to the city, he had taken David to see his mother the Tuesday before Thanksgiving they had spent a lovely day together, and he’d gotten to skip out on their awkward, terrible, family feast with his mother’s full approval.

“Raven needs time to see sense; you’re a good boy, Charles. Just like your father, you’d never hurt anybody,” her eyes had shimmered with tears for a moment before she blinked them away. “It’s hard for me, you look just like him.”

He knew, she thought it loudly nearly every time she looked at his face; and while the lancing pain in her chest had faded it had never completely healed in the years since Brian’s passing.

“It must seem odd to you, how it doesn’t bother me when I look at David,” she began tentatively.

“A bit, but I’m glad he doesn’t… cause you pain.” She looked startled at that, “you don’t cause me pain, Charles, the memories do. When I look at you I see all the years I’ve spent without him, but when I look at your son, I see the legacy we built continuing into the future. David’s given me hope, but you gave me a reason to go on.”

For a split second, he felt the bone cracking pain that had consumed her at his father’s passing, she’d known of his gifts by then and tried to shield him from her grief by pulling away from him, especially physically, knowing that even the briefest touch of her hand would flood his mind with her emotional agony.

Charles gasped at the depth of emotion he felt well within her, “Mother, I had no idea.”

“I didn’t want you to know, Charles; you were just a little boy who’d lost his beloved father. You two were so close, from the moment you were born…” she faded off with a smile then turned back with a more serious expression. “I truly wanted to die, son, and I’m sure I’d have seen my way to it without a reason to go on, and that was you,” she reached a perfectly manicured hand out to take his in a delicate grip. “Perhaps I should have told you this sooner. I guess I thought you knew-being a telepath and all. But I can see now from your face that you didn’t.”

“I knew you didn’t want me in your mind, I knew it pained you to see my face. I just filled in the blanks from there,” he murmured quietly mind swirling with this new information. He squeezed her hand reassuringly, feeling the pulse of pride/joy/love for him that thrummed through her and always had, even when it had been buried beneath a broken heart.

“I’m sorry, my son. I should’ve been stronger; I just wanted you to know that I tried. I’ll do better by David.” Charles felt her anxiety at making that pronouncement, she was afraid he would push her away, the way she had done to him all those years ago. On impulse, he let go of her hand and pulled her into a quick embrace before she could panic at the loss of contact.

“You were good to me, you did the best you could with what you had,” he whispered against her hair before pulling back and allowing her to adjust her outfit unobtrusively. “You even adopted Raven so I wouldn’t be alone, another mutant no less. It must have been a lot for you to take on. I see that now with David and-“ he cut himself off from saying Lorna’s name. She wasn’t his daughter; it would seem odd if he were to claim her.

Sharon smiled and patted her hair absently, “Well, good. I’m glad that’s finally sorted. Maybe next year you and your young man will make an appearance together,” she gave him a sly look at his stunned silence. “I was at David’s party, I saw you together, I can read between the lines, you know. Now, I think that’s long enough for a nap, let’s wake my boy for a bit of Grandma Time before you have to head on your way.”

He’d Skyped Erik that night after he’d put David to bed in the hotel they’d stopped in for the night, “I was going to tell her we were seeing each other! She knew before I did!” he hissed indignantly at Erik’s laughter.

“Well, that’s one thing our mother’s have in common…perhaps the only thing, actually.”

Charles snorted his agreement at that, “Well, you’re both formally invited next year; I got out of Christmas by telling her you’re Jewish.”

“Still giving your sister time to come around?”

“I’ll give her as long as she needs. It’s just, nice to know where I stand with my mother,” he finished softly.

“I’m sure it is liebling, and it’s not as bad a place as you thought.”

“Not at all.” They sat in comfortable silence for a long moment, happy to simply look at one another. “Sadly I’m at my limit for talking to an invisible man,” Charles teased playfully.

“Hey! Skype is a compromise! "Came the indignant reply.

“Still, your mind isn’t there, it’s creepy, like you’re a ghost or something.”

“You know you can always come back now, no need to stay in Connecticut. Make sure I’m not a ghost; make sure Lorna stays asleep…”

“I see what use I am to you,” he laughed. “No, I promised Regina time to see him, she wanted him to have some time with her family as well, and we’ll be back with you Thursday for dinner.”

“But won’t they think it’s odd if you come for a holiday and leave the morning of?”

“They said they’re fine with it, I’ll take them at their word.”

“Alright, love, I’ll let you go to sleep, I can’t have you risking my favorite people by having you drive while tired.”

“Goodnight, Erik, I’ll see you soon.”

“Goodnight, Charles.”

~~

The drive to Regina’s parents house had been uneventful Charles had talked aloud most of the way, trying to prepare David for a houseful of people speaking at full volume. He’d shield his son’s mind from theirs, but he was a quiet boy who didn’t like crowds. That was one of the main reasons they weren’t staying for Thanksgiving dinner, in spite of the fact that Regina’s mother was an excellent cook.

Most of their friends and relatives would arrive the day of and the house would be packed, but by then, he and David would be well on their way back to New York and the Lehnsherr’s first Thanksgiving.

He smiled at the thought and caught David’s eye in the rearview mirror. “Are you excited to see mommy? We’ll see her today and tomorrow.” David was ambivalent about spending time with his mother and her family, he kept sending sad/angry feelings along with images of Erik and Lorna with what amounted to question marks over their faces. He was not pleased that Charles found that amusing.

“I told you Davey, we’ll see them soon, now, how about some Beatles to cheer you up?” He glanced at his phone and selected a playlist which was soon booming through the Bluetooth connection throughout the car. David squealed with glee and bopped along with the classic rock legends his father loved so much. “When you’re older you should play the guitar, girls love a man who can play guitar,” Charles advised sagely to his oblivious son as they drew closer to their destination.

~~

“Where were you, you said you were leaving New York yesterday?” Regina asked, opening his car door as soon as they pulled to a stop.

“We stayed a bit later with mother and had to stop a few times, he doesn’t really like riding in the car.” Charles explained as Regina leaned into the backseat to unbuckle David and pull him into her arms. He went willingly if warily, and Charles kept a close watch all the same.

“Well, it’s late; my mom’s been after me about you not showing up for over an hour now.”

“I’m sorry, but we’re here now and they can spoil him all they like.” She bounced David absently on her hip and asked,

“Luggage?”

“No, we’ve already checked into our hotel, I assumed we wouldn’t be welcome to stay the night,” he stated pointedly. Regina flushed at that, she and Charles had always rented a hotel room when they visited her parents, he’d only slept at the house once and he’d been on suppressants at the time.

“Right, that’s right since you’re off your…” she cleared her throat and he felt her mind pulse as she desperately tried to shield her thoughts-still quite poorly.

_~So handsome, ugh, single again, no kid, made a mistake? Miss Davey, Miss Charles, Hate being single, family will ask about it ugh~_

He pretended not to hear, had no desire to involve himself with a woman who only wanted him so she wouldn’t be single.

“Alright let’s head in”, she went to close the car door and did a double take. “What’s with the second car seat?” _~Hiding it from me? How did I not see it before?~_

“It’s for David’s friend, I carpool them from time to time,” he said smoothly.

“This friend got a name? Or maybe her mother does?” she asked, not as subtly as she seemed to think.

“As a matter of fact, they both have names,” Charles joked opening the door and letting her walk in ahead of him, David turning in her arms to keep him in sight. He mentally soothed him and tightened their awareness of one another even as he began shielding the boy from other minds.

“Yeah? Well, what’s hers?” Charles sighed and tried not to roll his eyes, she just wasn’t going to let this drop.

“Lorna.”

David perked up at the name, and glanced around like he expected his erstwhile playmate to appear from thin air.

“Looks like she’s got Davey trained,” she griped and he saw the fear in her mind that she would lose her place in his life, he tried to think of something to say that would comfort her, assure her that would never happen.

But it was happening, just not how she imagined. Over the months since their breakup David had been asking after her less and less until his requests for her shifted to Charles and to a lesser degree, Erik. In the end, he said nothing and let her stew in her worry.

“Mom! They’re here!” she called as they left the foyer and moved into the den. They heard footsteps and were soon joined by Regina’s parents.

“There’s my darling boy!” Regina’s mother held out her arms for her grandson, a wide smile on her face, “How big you are! Look, Jim how big he’s gotten!” David went to her with a small sound of protest and held himself somewhat stiffly in her arms. Charles moved to her side and smoothed a hand down his son’s back.

“Hello Charles, you’re looking good.”

“Hello Pam, Jim. Thank you for having us.”

“Well, the invitation was for David, but the more the merrier,” Jim snarked. He’d always been protective of his daughter and seemed to think that Charles had hypnotized her into dating him.

“Jim,” Pam admonished,” Of course Charles is welcome, how else would David have gotten here without him?”

“Alright guys, that’s enough, let me hold my kid, I’ve missed him.” Regina cut in, eagerly snatching him back from her mother and perching him on her hip.

“Well, take him to the kitchen to see the girls, Charles, care to catch a game?” Jim offered with a clenched jaw.

“I’d love to,” Charles lied, wishing he’d made his excuses and stayed in the city with Erik.

Regina came from a large family of five and had three brothers and one sister, most of them had already arrived for the holiday with their significant others and families in tow so the house was packed.

Charles had always loved the festive atmosphere that large crowds tended to produce and could coast on the emotional tide for hours. After testing the waters; he channeled a bit of the resonance to his son, to lighten his dreary mood, and was relieved to see that it worked.

For the most part, he was ignored for the rest of the day, which was just fine with him; he kept his shields up tightly, having no desire to see what the small minded people around him were thinking about his arrangement with Regina. He pretended to focus heavily on whatever game or program was on the telly at any given time, and kept up a steady text conversation with Erik, which he was sure kept him sane.

The hours ticked by slowly as time only does when you’re in insufferable company and he kept checking the time, wondering when it wouldn’t be considered too early to leave for the night. They still had to make another appearance the next day for the traditional family breakfast and he wanted as much time to himself as possible before dealing with these people again.

He texted as much to Erik and had an incoming call a few moments later. After excusing himself to an empty bedroom, he answered the call only to see Lorna staring distrustfully at the screen.

“Chars!!” she shrieked loudly, “Hi Chars, in phone? Vati! Chars in phone!” The angle changed quickly and he had a close up of Erik’s sharp grin.

“You sounded like you needed a cheer up, and what’s better than making a toddler think you live in a magic phone?” He laughed as Lorna continued her existential breakdown in the background.

“Dabie in phone?!”

“Hush, now, say goodbye to Charles, we’ll see him tomorrow. Say goodbye, Charles, see you tomorrow!” Erik coached gently, moving so they were both in frame.

“Bye Bye Chars see you tamawoo.” She cooed happily, snuggling into her father’s chest as he pulled her close with an arm around her waist.

“Aww yes, darling, I’ll see you soon, ok. Be good for your Vati, be my good girl like you always are,” Charles smiled what felt like his first real smile all day.

“Yes, she’s your good girl and my unholy terror, how is that fair?” Erik complained morosely, causing Charles to fall into another fit of laughter.

“She must get it from somewhere,” he teased lightly.

“You say this without even meeting her mother! I always get the blame!” Erik smiled at his lover, “I’m glad we could cheer you up.”

“You always know just what I need,” Charles agreed. They chatted a bit more and promised a longer call later that evening after the kids were asleep before signing off.

Charles left the spare room with a spring in his step and went in search of his son, he found him playing with his many cousins, being supervised by Regina and one of her sisters in law. David toddled over to him immediately and requested to be picked up, Charles tossed him roughly the way that he loved, pulling a chortling laugh from the chubby baby.

“Not having fun with the guys?” Regina asked, somewhat guilty, knowing that her family had never accepted Charles or gone out of their way to make him feel welcome.

“I’m having a fine time, this isn’t about me, it’s about Davey getting to know your family.”

“Yeah, I know.” Something was off about the way she said it and Charles looked at her askance, not wanting to risk an emotional explosion if he brushed against her mind.

“Is something wrong?” She glanced at her sister in law who was listening to their conversation will ill concealed interest.

“Can we talk in private?” she asked sotto voce.

“Lead the way,” he cradled their son against his chest and followed her to the laundry room where she closed the door and turned on the dryer.

“I’ve been noticing…since Halloween. How I behave when I’m drinking. I know what you did, Charles and I deserved it. I deserved worse. I mean, at the time it pissed me off but…well, you were right. I was at a party with all of my friends, no responsibilities and I couldn’t enjoy it sober. I keep thinking about that, I’m considering cutting back on it for a while, see where it leads.”

Charles was stunned; he’d never have imagined the prank he and Erik had pulled may have a positive impact on his ex. “I’m happy to hear that Regina, really I am. I’m proud of you.” He pulled her into a one armed embrace and she wrapped an arm around him in return, flexing her bicep to crack his back. “Oh! I don’t miss that,” he laughed stepping away gingerly.

“I’m just sorry for the way things ended with us, you know? We were good together, right? I mean the drinking was the real issue-“

“And our telepathy,” he cut her off before she could go on, “don’t look at us with rose colored glasses Reggie, we had a lot of issues, yes the drinking, but also your psyonic prejudice. Which your family shares by the way.” 

She flushed at that and wrinkled her nose adorably, before looking away. “I know, I just miss you, I miss you both and the life we had. Maybe we could come to a compromise? A lower dose of suppressants? I only drink every once in a while?” She smiled shyly and peered up at him through her eyelashes, “I’m sure my family will come around the more they get to know you, the older Davey gets.” She pinched the boys’ cheek in emphasis.

Charles sighed, trying to hide his growing irritation with his sons’ mother. He couldn’t wait to tell Erik about this, he smiled to himself picturing the other mans’ reaction.

“What are you thinking about?”

“A friend.”

“Ok,” she seemed confused by his lack of attention, “what do you think about what I said?”

“Honestly, it sounds like a pretty bad deal to me. We still have the problems we always did. I think in a year we’d find ourselves back in the same position, maybe with another kid caught in the middle.” He flinched as her eyes filled with tears, “please don’t cry Reggie, I know you miss David, but we don’t have to be together for you to see him, here.” He handed the boy over and she rested him against her shoulder. “You’re his mom, anytime you want to see him, let me know ok?”

“Alright,” she’d agreed shakily, still holding off tears.

Charles was dying to take a glimpse into her mind to see what had brought this on, had her mother made comments? One of her relatives teased her for being single the way she feared? Or perhaps she’d just enjoyed the day and was reminiscing about the good times they’d shared. He’d never know, it wasn’t worth the risk to take a peek.

“Go on, enjoy your time together, we have to head out for the night soon,” he said gently as he opened the door to the laundry room and made his way back to the den.

The rest of the day had passed without incident, and they’d spent a semi restless night at their hotel, David was worn out from dealing with so many strangers and Charles had to will away a migraine brought on by shielding them both so heavily for so many hours. He and Erik had shared another Skype chat, this time with no little helpers. It had helped soothe the rest of his tension from the day, and he was more than a little pleased to see Erik trying to hide his jealousy when he mentioned Regina hinting at getting back together.

Thanksgiving morning dawned bright and cold, and Charles was eager to get on the road and head back to the city. After loading their small amount of luggage into the car, they spent another few hours with Regina’s family for breakfast and photos.

Just as they were finishing their meal, he received a text showing Lorna splashing in the tub her hair a mess of geometric designs that Erik loved to create in soap bubbles, he smiled at the photo and saved it to his phone, perfect blackmail for when she was older.

He sent a photo of David’s frowning face a bit later; he’d been far less interested in his relatives after the lengthy visit the day before and had been imploring Charles for Erik and Lorna nearly nonstop, even going so far as to attempt verbal protests from time to time.

“Alright my boy, we’re on our way,” Charles soothed as they made their final goodbyes and started for home.

~~

Erik was just taking the Turkey out of the oven when he felt the familiar presence of Charles’ car turn onto their street and into the parking garage beneath the building.

He quickly made a few finishing touches to the table, trying to be as unobtrusive as possible and not distract Lorna from her Caillou marathon.

He felt a flair of greeting, warm and welcome flood his mind and sent back an echo of his happiness at their return. Erik tracked the elevator as it made its way slowly to their floor, heart in his throat, it felt like Charles had been gone for far longer than two days. He said nothing, pretending not to notice when Lorna perked up and darted a glance at the door, where he happened to be standing.

“Vati?” she asked curiously just as there came a light rap on the frame. Erik merely smiled at her and swung the portal open, holding her back with one leg as she tries to hurl herself at Charles.

“Happy Thanksgiving!” Charles cheered, pressing through the door and handing a wriggling David off to his partner.

“Daddy! Daddy! Dabie!!” Lorna chanted, latching onto his leg as soon as Erik stopped running interference. Charles freezes mid motion, halfway to planting a kiss on Erik,

“That’s new,” he said softly, eyes alight with happiness.

“You don’t mind, then? She must have picked it up from us calling you Daddy for David,” he asked searchingly, watching his lover closely for signs of discomfort.

“No, I don’t mind at all, it's nice to hear it from someone,” he joked with a light poke to his sons' belly as they moved together for a sweet kiss, “more of that later?”

“I guarantee it,” Erik growled as David wiggled to be set down while Charles swept Lorna into a bear hug and spun her around. Once he set her down, the kids fell together in a shrieking, wresting mass of glee, as though they'd been separated for years rather than a few hours.

“Well, something smells divine; you’ve got the whole floor envious, darling!”

“That sounds like the dinner bell to me, shall we eat?”

“We shall.”

After a bit of child wrangling they were all set for the feast Erik had prepared, “Wow, you really outdid yourself with all this Erik! I only said Turkey and pumpkin pie!”

“Well, lucky for us all, Martha Stewart was a lot more specific, liebling.”

“Alright, now we go around the table and say what we’re thankful for,” Charles instructed, “I’ll go first, I’m thankful to be spending today with the by darling son and my wonderful boyfriend and his delightful daughter. Erik?”

“That was a lot of adjectives, Charles, I’m impressed.”

“I live to serve.”

“Well, I am thankful for the same, and that Americans have a holiday just for cooking and eating, this is my kind of place.”

Charles burst out laughing and drank to that as Erik encouraged Lorna to make a statement. “I thankuul no mommy,” she stated firmly, glaring about in a self righteous manner.

 _~I’ll explain later~_ Erik smiled at Charles’ bemused expression. Charles sent a mental question to David who for some odd reason happily projected an image of Erik’s hair into their minds with a delighted giggle.

“Well, David that’s unorthodox, but we’re all thankful for something so there we go,” Erik finally said into the confused silence.

Charles snorted at the absurdity of the children, “Yes, there we go, darling, will you do the honors?”

“Well, I’m certainly not trusting you with a knife,” he smiled at Charles’ pout and began carving the turkey with his powers while Charles started dishing up sides.

“To your first Thanksgiving,” Charles kissed him as he handed over a plate.

“To _our_ first Thanksgiving,” Erik corrected lightly as he returned the favor.

 _~The first of many.~_ he thought quietly to himself as Charles hid a smile and pretended not to hear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this chapter took on a life of it's own, I meant to write a little dinner vignette and well, things got out of hand lol! Let me know what you think, was the Regina moment weird? I really considered cutting it out, but I felt like it was kind of real at the same time, like you forget your troubles with someone with a bit of distance and only remember the good times? Anyway, let me know what you think!


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah!!

"Vai!” David cheered as Erik walked into the crèche to collect the kids for the day, verbal acknowledgements were still not his strong suit, but he was getting better each day.

“Hello Barchen, did you have a fun day with your friends?” he asked as he filled in the sign out sheet while the toddler wrapped himself around Erik’s leg and sat on his foot, clearly anticipating a ride.

“Alright, let’s go find her majesty,” he winked at the young lady manning the front door hiding a smile at her deep blush. He moved past her and began searching for his daughter in the relatively small space without bothering to remove David from his perch. It didn’t take long to find her in the T.V. room having a tea party with another girl her age and an assortment of dolls.

“Vati! Hi!” she grinned and ran over to him and slammed into his unoccupied leg nearly unbalancing him when she latched on and wouldn’t let go. “Have tea, Vati?”

“Not today, schatzi, we have to be going, we’re meeting Daddy for big fun remember?” he added quickly to forestall her developing pout.

“Daddy! Cwistmas twee!” She smiled excitedly at the reminder of the day they had planned.

“Vai!!” David shrieked, not one to be left out of a conversation.

“Yes, yes, we’re all very excited? Then let’s go.” Erik smiled down at them lovingly, he paused to snap a quick picture of them from this angle, knowing Charles would love the shot.

With the help of one of the caregivers he had the kids bundled up and out the door in a matter of minutes. They caught a cab to Rockefeller Center to meet with Charles, it wasn’t especially far but it was cold and Erik didn’t trust in his own abilities to keep the kids from eating the piles of slush that covered the ground. They seemed to view them as a banquet of free grey ice cream.

Disgusting was apparently in the eye of the beholder or mouth of the taster as it were.

They arrived at the bustling city center and stepped into the winter wonderland the city had become. The kids were immediately entranced but the massive tree the festive decorations surrounding it. Erik sent out a mental alert to his lover and wasn’t surprised to see the smaller man making his way over to them in a few short moments.

~ _Hi love! And how are my darlings?~_

“We’re all fine thanks, very excited to see this tree you promised.”

“Cwistmas Twee!!” Lorna shrieked pointing happily at the monstrosity of a Christmas tree towering over everything in sight.

“We see it shatz, how could we miss it?” Erik teased dryly as Charles rolled his eyes at the other man’s tone. “Can we get closer? I want a low vantage to send to mama, she loves to see how big Americans do everything, especially holidays.”

“Of course love, we’ll take lots, good thing it gets dark early so you can get some of it lit clearly.”

“Good thinking,” Erik leaned in for a kiss, holding the kids close on their invisible tethers. Charles pulled out of the kiss with a blush and a glace around at the crowd milling about.

“This is New York, Charles, they’ve seen worse!” Erik laughed happily, heart swelling with adoration for the smaller man.

~ _I know, I’ve just never had anyone who wanted everyone to know I was theirs~_

_~Well, get used to it.~_ Erik leaned in for another kiss which Charles returned sweetly before pulling away suddenly to scoop the kids into his arms.

~ _No you two! Honestly what is so appetizing about dirty snow?!~_ Erik couldn’t contain his laughter at the matching glares the babies shot Charles for stopping their feast before it could begin.

Charles sighed in resignation and rolled his eyes, shifting the kids in his arms, “Come on, you guys got here just in time for our reservations.” They made their way to the rink, to have a family skate; they skipped the line carefully ignoring the glares of the people who’d been waiting in line.

“That would’ve been me,” Erik nodded towards the line, “I love ice skating, but I wouldn’t have thought to make reservations.”

“Most people don’t, but I hate waiting in line, I pay to avoid them pretty much anywhere I can,” Charles admitted unashamedly bringing a smile to Erik’s face.

“I could get used to that,” Erik admitted as they shared a look. He’d never been rich, but with the commissions he’d been bringing in to the shop, it wasn’t the farfetched prospect it had once been. Not to mention the fact that his new boyfriend was apparently a certified billionaire.

That had been an awkward conversation, but Erik was coming to terms with it. At the very least, Charles’ experience came in handy with handling and investing large sums of money. He was only happy he’d asked if his boyfriend had any experience setting up a savings funds for David. He'd wanted to start one for Lorna and then the other shoe had dropped.

“We’ll have you set up in no time; my broker will make time for you if I ask for an appointment. You’d best get used to that treatment.” Charles had laughed to hide his nerves but Erik saw right through him to the boy who’d been alternately used and rejected for his incredible wealth too many times to count over the course of his life.

Some wounds only time could heal, so Erik made it a running joke, listing all the things he liked about being wealthy. The more things he added to the list, the more relaxed Charles became about “throwing his money around.” Not something he ever really did except in his own mind.

Erik had been truly shocked to learn of Charles’ material wealth, he lived like a well to do professor, not like the only son of an old money socialite and a brilliant scientist who’d patented several medical breakthroughs before his premature death.

“I didn’t know, liebling, and this changes nothing,” he’d whispered into flushed sweat dampened skin that night before words were lost between them.

They spent a wonderful hour on the nearly empty ice dancing to their hearts content. David loved being caught up in Erik’s arms and raced around at incredible speeds. Charles laughed to Lorna, spinning her on her tiny skates. She had amazing balance for a child her age, oddly better than her balance on dry land. He glanced at Erik and took a quick peek into her mind only to find certain portions of her mind lit with metallokinesis, helping her skate better than she could walk.

He laughingly scooped her into his arms and lifted her over his head causing her to scream joyfully, “Higher Daddy!!” He tossed and caught her lightly and pressed a kiss to her cold flushed cheek. “That’s my darling girl, I guess your Vati was right all along,” he set her back down and took her small hand in his and began leading her around the rink in a slow circle.

She projected a colorful swirl of warmth/safety/love to his mind with a gap toothed grin.

He grinned heartily and projected it right back.

~~

After their highly successful skating expedition, they stopped by Jacques Torres for gourmet hot chocolate instead of one of the many street vendors. Erik took one sip and happily added the rich drink to the list. They split a small order of gourmet s’mores and watched the fairy lights twinkle into clarity as night fell.

“Time for pictures?”

“More pictures you mean?”

“Oh come on, they’re only this age for a little while!” Erik defended his habit of taking pictures for every occasion. Charles laughed at the pout the other man shot him and snorted into his drink when the children caught on and turned to him with matching puppy eyes.

“Well when you put it like that…” he snapped a photo of his own before the tableau was lost. “We’ll need to start another album at this rate.”

“That’s your responsibility Professor,” Erik smiled and sent an impression of amusement at Charles’ adorable habit of printing, labeling and sorting pictures within a few days of any major event.

~ _And one I take very seriously at that~_ he projected as he finished the sweetest dregs of his mocha.

“Alright, let’s suit up again and go take some pictures of that ridiculous tree.”

“Cwistmas Twee!”

“That’s right Lorna love, you know, I think she may convert for the trees.”

“There are worse reasons,” Erik stated contemplatively as he struggled to get David’s pin wheeling arms into his tiny parka.”Why don’t you ever give your Daddy this trouble, Barchen?”

“Vai!” replied the little boy, still putting up a valiant struggle.

“Because you let him get away with it,” Charles smiled as he zipped Lorna’s fur lined jacket before letting her have the last s’more.

_~Can you blame me? He’s a tiny copy of the man I love, it should be illegal to be so cute!~_

Charles attempted to hide his pleased blush behind an eye roll as Erik blew a raspberry onto David’s fat little cheek causing him to chortle until he hiccupped.

Charles felt rosy off the glow of joy their small family was putting off, combined with the holiday spirit pouring of everyone they passed.

“Merry Christmas!” the pretty store clerk called as they headed for the door.

“Merry Christmas!” chorused Charles and Lorna as Erik guided David into waving.

~ _What no Happy Chanukah?~_ Charles asked playfully as he took David into his arms for a quick cuddle.

~ _That was last week, Liebling, I’m sure you remember_ ~ he winked lasciviously clearly recalling their eight nights of gifts to one another after the kids had gone to sleep.

Charles blushed furiously at the reminder _~You’re awful ~_

~ _You weren’t saying that Saturday night, in fact you were saying the exact opposite_ ~ Erik laughed out loud ask Charles tried not to swallow his tongue.

“Fine Merry Christmas it is!” Charles finally responded aloud to get his lover to stop his shameless flirting.

“Cwistmas Tweee!!” Lorna yelped while projecting an image of the approaching tree so forcefully that Charles stumbled. Erik caught him under one arm and, not having received the image was clearly concerned for his lover. He opened his mouth to speak but David beat him to it.

“Da?” he asked while projecting the feeling he usually used to call Charles. They all paused to gape at him in silence; Erik smoothed a hand over Charles’ back as the other man blinked back happy tears “Da? Da!” David repeated as Charles bounced him lightly in his arms.

“It’s a Christmas miracle,” Erik whispered softly in his ear causing the other man to choke a laugh through the emotion clogging his throat. “Daddy?” Lorna asked, obviously wondering what was wrong, she flung her tiny arms around his knees and gazed up at him with her lovely green eyes.

“Nothing’s wrong, darling, everything is just right,” he stooped to ruffle her thick green curls soothingly.

~ _What do you know; we’re even standing under the mistletoe~_ Erik projected Charles looked up and all around in confusion.

~ _No we aren’t~_

_~Humor me~_

Charles was only too happy to do so.

“You know, it’s not the only one?” he whispered, telling the other man about Lorna on the ice when he quirked an eyebrow in question. Erik froze in place for a moment, searching Charles' gaze before breaking into a terrifyingly wide smile. He stooped to his daughters' level and said something too soft to be overheard before standing and lifting her onto his shoulders using the metal bits in her clothes. The kids and some passersby cheered at the display causing Erik to flush beneath his tan as he took one of Charles’ gloved hands in his.

“That in mind, let’s take Lorna to the tree before she brings it to us,” he started off again with a clear bounce in his step, his mind radiating pride and joy. More pleased with the kids than he could properly express in words.

“Could she do that?” Charles asked more curious than concerned.

“I can feel the pins and cables from here; she might be able to sense them too.” “Then by all means lead the way,” Charles said with a bright smile gripping Erik’s hand tight in response, happy to never let go.

~~

In the years to come, they’d playfully argue over their favorite picture from their first holiday season together. They never could agree, so both pictures ended up framed on the mantle.

Charles loved the image of Erik guiding David in lighting the Menorah on the third night of Chanukah, the little boy focused intently on the flame, tiny yarmulke on his head.

While Erik would always cherish the picture of the four of them crowded around his camera, all wearing matching chocolate stained grins, with the tree looming huge behind them.

They’d simply have to agree to disagree.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay holiday fluff!! I hope you liked their outing, all the stuff I listed, including the restaurant Jacques Torres are things do/see in Rockefeller Center NYC, they sell gourmet s'mores with chocolate chip cookies instead if graham crackers!! Full disclosure I've never been I googled it all so please let me know if I got something glaringly wrong. 
> 
> That said, let me know what you think, or if you see any spelling and grammar errors, or just want to say hi, comments are love!
> 
> Happy Holidays!!


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just as he turned to begin unpacking some of the boxes in his new, larger office he felt a familiar mind approaching in the hall and moved to the door in apprehension.
> 
> He swung the portal open just before the first knock could land and looked into the startled face of his sister.

Charles straightened his spine with a sharp crack, grimacing at the tension flooding his muscles. He was in the process of moving offices at the university and was currently regretting his decision to turn down Erik’s offer of assistance.

Well, he was nearly done, no use complaining to himself.

Perhaps he could wheedle a sympathy massage out of his lover before bed. He chuckled wryly to himself, it wouldn’t be difficult to convince Erik to get him naked and oiled up. He wondered absently how long the honey moon period lasted because they were still going strong.

Just as he turned to begin unpacking some of the boxes in his new, larger office he felt a familiar mind approaching in the hall and moved to the door in apprehension.

He swung the portal open just before the first knock could land and looked into the startled face of his sister.

“Charles! How did you know I was coming? Did Hank tell you?” She asked, surprised at his sudden appearance.

“No, he didn’t,” Charles made a mental note to speak to his PhD student about organizing this sneak attack,” I just felt you coming down the hall.”

Raven frowned in consternation, “I didn’t feel you in my head.”

Charles shrugged and glanced away, trying to hide a blush and willing himself not to downplay his ability for her comfort, “I’ve gotten better with practice, would you like to come in?” he gestured behind him to the cluttered office, “I doubt this conversation is fit for public consumption.”

Raven glanced around apprehensively, the new semester hadn’t started yet but the building was hardly empty with professors and TAs prepping for classes the following week. They had already drawn curious gazes from passersby and Charles anticipated questions from his colleagues about his exotic visitor.

Hopefully none of them amorous, he hated when people asked after his sister, it was awkward to say the least, particularly when he could see their thoughts on her sexual appeal.

He waited patiently for her to make up her mind; he could feel the nervous energy pouring off her in waves before she nodded her assent and stepped past him.

He closed the door softly and moved to clear space for them to sit on the couch pressed against the far wall.

Raven stayed uncustomary silent throughout, alternatively pacing in the limited space available and watching him work. He felt her mind whirring a mile a minute but maintained his distance from her actual thoughts.

“Please sit,” he offered smoothly once the couch was clear.

“Thank you,” she said primly sitting on the very edge of the couch cushion as though prepared to bolt at any moment.

Her behavior was beginning to concern him, she seemed frightened and though she had always been uncomfortable with his ability, she had never been paralyzed with fear by it. Something else was wrong and she had come to him about it.

“Raven, whatever it is, you can tell me, and I’ll help you. You know that right?” he asked as the silence stretched between them and she leaned forward, jiggling one leg nervously.

“I miss you, Charles, so much. More than I ever thought possible. I never imagined we’d go so long without speaking.”

He felt his heart break at the memory of their encounter at the café. That had been months ago and the only news he’d had of her had come via Sharon. Though apparently she’d been keeping tabs on him through Henry.

“I’ve missed you too, Rave. The holidays weren’t the same without you, you missed Davey's birthday,” he rested a hand on her sleeve comfortingly and they shared a brief smile. “Is that what worries you, you thought I’d turn you away?” he asked gently, trying to sooth her nerves.

“Well, I kind of deserve it, don’t I? I was so sure you’d come crawling back when you realized I was right, but then…I met someone.” She flushed lavender as the words left her mouth, avoiding his gaze as she shifted uncomfortably.

“But Raven, that’s great! Isn’t it?” he asked warily as she frowned at his reaction.

“Yes, it’s great, he’s great and he’s made me think about things differently. He’s red Charles. With a tail. He’s got one of the most extreme physical mutations I’ve ever seen. Honestly he looks like he belongs on a package of red hots.” She snorted a laugh at that but kept her hands clenched tight in her lap.

“Well, great, I know how much you love meeting people like you. And you seem to like him?”

“Oh yes, he’s fascinating, quite the world traveler you know?” she broke into a bright smile at the mention of it.

“I’m glad to hear it; you seem to be infatuated already.”

“Well, yes. A bit. More than a bit if I’m being honest and he seems to like me as well.”

“He’d be a fool not to,” Charles said loyally. She was loosening up, but he could still feel her tension resting in a knot in her stomach. “Is that what you came to tell me?  Because if it is then I’m thrilled for you, but you still seem stressed if you don’t mind my saying.”

“You’re right there’s more…Charles he gets so much flak from everyone, humans and mutants alike. The only comfort he’s had has been his family and friends. The way he talks about them. How much of a comfort they’ve been his whole life. I realized how lucky I’ve been to have you as a brother. Even to have Sharon as a mother.” She huffed and rolled her eyes to Charles’ amusement.

“I’m glad to hear it; I know I’ve always felt lucky to have you as a sister.”

Her eyes shimmered at that, “Even though I’ve been such a brat?”

“Especially then, you know how much I love being right!” he teased with a bright smile that made her choke out a laugh and take his hand. He was immediately flooded with her feelings of love/concern/remorse. He gripped back tightly.

“We’re mutants Charles and I thought physical mutations had it the worst of all, but maybe we have it the best. We know right away if people can be comfortable with us or not, we don’t have an awkward “coming out” to someone we like and hope they still like us after. You’re so brave Charles; you always let everyone know where they stand. No matter how hard that must be for you.”

He raised his eyebrows in surprise at her confession, “who is this man that made you change your mind? I must meet him.”

Her tension finally eased at that and she unbent enough to truly laugh out, “I was hoping you’d say that. He wants to meet you too, that’s why I’m here. He says he can see how much I miss you and maybe we can try to work this out.”

“Well, he sounds very wise,” Charles blinked around sudden tears, “I’d like to meet the man who gave me my sister back.” He tensed slightly as she leaned towards him, but happily returned the hug she enfolded him in.

“I’m sorry, Charles, I’m so sorry I didn’t trust you that I asked you to hide. I’ve spent so much time thinking about what you said, and even what Erik said that night at the MPA about trusting you. I knew I was hurting you but I hoped-I thought it was for your own good,” she finished brokenly.

“Oh Raven, I forgive you, of course I do. I was terrified that we’d never make up and spent the rest of our lives in stilted conversation, with no connection between us.” She stiffened at that.

“I-I’m still a private person, Charles I’d like my thoughts to stay _mine_ , I’m truly sorry that I’m not fully comfortable with your mutation but I’m trying and I promise not to bring up suppressants again. Especially about David,” she pulled back from their hug and watched his face searchingly.

He felt a twinge of regret at her words, she was still uncomfortable with his powers, but it was a start, one he’d worried would never come.

“Alright, Raven I can accept that if you can.””

She smiled widely in relief," I thought I’d ruined everything; I thought I’d ruined us. I’m so glad I didn’t.”

“Me too.” He pulled her back into a tight embrace as they both sniffled quietly and attempted to collect themselves.

“Alright, that’s enough dramatics. Do you have time to help me unpack a few boxes or do you have to be on your way?”

Their eyes met in a moment of understanding, “I have time to spare.”

“Great, we have a lot of catching up to do,” he beamed.

~~

Later that evening he replayed their conversation for Erik who scooped him up and spun him around in a tight hug, causing the kids to cheer at their exuberant display, “I knew she’d come around. I had no idea it’d be so quickly, this guy must be the real deal for her!”

“He must! We made plans to get together next week. I was wondering if you wanted to come.”

“Of course I do, I got a raw deal in meeting her the last time, we should all try again,” he set Charles down lightly on his feet and dipped to kiss his smiling mouth.

“I hope he’s everything to her that you are to me,” Charles murmured softly against his lips.

“We’ll find out, but I hope so too,” Erik grimaced as a memory of one of his sisters former boyfriends flickered through his mind.

“Don’t be unkind Erik!” Charles scolded with a smile.

“That boy was unacceptable and unfit for my sister. I showed him the error of his ways.”

“Are you going to be like this when Lorna starts dating?” Charles asked incredulously.

“You bet I am! David too! Girls can be just as unacceptable as boys at that age, at any age really,” he said contemplatively.

“In all fairness to the kids and their future partners, you hate most of the population sight unseen.”

“They know what they did.”

“Do they, Erik? Do you even know what they did?”

“Give me five minutes with them and I’d figure it out,” he said with a wide smile causing Charles to burst into delighted laughter.

“I’m sure you would darling, need any help finishing dinner?”

“No, I’d still like it to be edible when it’s done. You can get the kids set up though.”

Charles frowned at that, “You just don’t want to interrupt puzzle time, you love making me the bad guy,” he pouted.

“Well from the sound of it I’ll be the bad guy when they’re teens. We have to take turns dear, it’s only fair!” he laughed as Charles flicked a bit of carrot at him and when to collect the kids from the living room.

_~I heard that!~_

_~Heard what?~_ he asked innocently as he began dishing up supper and arranging the table.

_~We are not arranging a marriage between the kids!~_

_~Now, Charles, don’t be selfish, I only want what’s best for them! I want Lorna to end up with a good husband, and I already love David as my son! It’s a win win!~_

“Well, I’m not sleeping with my in laws so take your pick, us or them,” he wrapped his arms around his lover from behind and pressed a gentle kiss to his neck causing a shiver to run down Erik’s spine.

“Well when you put it that way… I guess I’ll just have to thoroughly vet their partners when the time comes; you’re bringing this upon yourself Charles. I’m warning you now,” he teased threateningly.

“I’m not too concerned. I think I can keep you in line,” he winked cheekily as he buckled the kids into their seats and took his own place with a light wince as his back twinged.

“You’ve made your choice then; you’re stuck with me and my investigation process.”

_~That ship sailed a long time ago, darling. I’m quite happy to have you as David’s father, not father in law.~_

Charles felt the rosy bloom of joy fill Erik’s mind at his words, “Alright, we let the kids decide who they want to marry, _~ I can’t say no to those eyes~_

Charles blushed at the soft compliment, “Thank you dear, you can be so reasonable when you try.”

“Only for you, love, only for you.”

"I'm starting to realize that."

"Problem?" Erik asked, eyebrow quirked in amusement

"Only for everyone else," he chuckled as he leaned in for a sweet kiss, only pulling away when his back protested the movement.

 _~That's it, you're getting a hot bath and a rubdown before bed, no arguments.~_ Erik thought sternly.

Charles laughed out loud at that, much to Erik's consternation, _~Oh darling, I honestly cant think of anyone who'd argue with that deal, I'll hold you to it.~_

And he did, though in the end it became a shared bath and long massage cut short, no one had any complaints at the end of the night. It was what Erik would call a win win situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long holiday break! I'm back! Please let me know what you think of the chapter and the story so far! Tell me about any typos and request any scenes! Your comments are my motivation to go on!


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He was just helping Lorna build a small snow fort when his daddy alarm went off. He looked up quickly at the spot where David had been sitting a moment ago, happily piling snow with no apparent end game.
> 
> He was gone.

Erik bounced David on his hip, trying to distract the boy from grabbing at their fellow pedestrians as they passed by. Lorna toddled along pleasantly at his side, not that she had much choice given the short tether he kept her on for their brief sojourns into the city.

Charles was swamped with intro classes and the typical beginning of semester chaos that reined the campus for the first couple of weeks. Not to mention the added stress of his recent promotion to department head, he had a lot of fires to put out and very little time for anything else.

He’d explained to Erik what a big deal the promotion was and how it would free him up some from the constant grind of simply lecturing and grading. He was excited about the gig and Erik had full faith that once Charles had his new responsibilities under control, he’d excel in the position and likely have more free time available since he could delegate many of his responsibilities to his subordinates.

The kids however had no understanding of why Charles had been so busy and rarely had time to play. It was two weeks into the semester and Erik was fairly sure they were planning a mutiny. The pouting and tantrums were a dead giveaway if you asked him.

So today they were headed to the park near their building, the kids loved it there and hopefully they would wear themselves out and finally settle down for a nap. Erik seriously considered joining them in that endeavor, keeping track of the both of them at the same time was exhausting in a surprisingly rewarding way.

They made it to the park in short order with no major mishaps along the way- aside from David snatching a woman’s cap off her head as she stumbled into Erik on the icy sidewalk. That led to an awkward tussle with the baby to retrieve said cap and an equally awkward attempt at flirting from the-admittedly cute- brunette.

By the time Erik freed the hat from David’s tenacious grip and himself from the woman’s blatant attempt at a come on, he already wanted to go home. But the park was in sight and the kids were finally doing something other than asking after Charles, a small mercy in itself. He made a mental note to ask his lover if they acted the same when he was gone.

For a while the park was nice, there were few other people about at this time of day, and the icy weather thinned the crowds even more. He and the kids spent a pleasant while on the slides and swings. He even set the see saw in motion, much to their delight.

He was just helping Lorna build a small snow fort when his daddy alarm went off. He looked up quickly at the spot where David had been sitting a moment ago, happily piling snow with no apparent end game.

He was gone.

Mouth dry, Erik stood up and jerked a quick 365, taking in every corner of the small play area to no avail. Heart pounding in his chest he stumbled in another panicked circle whilst trying to draw breath into his too tight chest. David was gone, his precious little man.

Had someone taken him?

Someone with no metal on their person?

Or perhaps a mutant with stealth abilities?

Or someone who could stop time?

Erik sucked in a ragged breath and hoisted a worried Lorna into his trembling arms.

“Vati? Dabie?” She asked, looking around for her lost playmate.

“David is fine schatzi, I promise. He can’t have gone far, it’s like hide and seek, we’ll find him, or daddy will.” He soothed even as every aspect of his being recoiled at the thought of telling Charles he’d lost his beloved son.

No not lost. He was fine. He had to be, or Erik would never forgive himself, would never move on. A mental image of David’s sweet face pulled tears to his eyes, ones he didn’t even try to blame on the blistering wind.

He held Lorna close, terrified that if he loosened his grip she’d vanish too.

 Not that he couldn’t sense her, all of her clothes had metal filings embedded in the fibers… the thought flooded his system with panicked relief, he felt like a fool, he’d done the same to David’s snowsuit.

Expanding his power he felt the familiar arrangement of metal a few feet away deep in the bushes, it was no wonder he hadn’t been able to spot the telltale bright blue of David’s warmest jumpsuit.

 He covered the distance at a run, still refusing to let Lorna down even as she wiggled, likely sensing the metal too, or perhaps just wanting to tangle about in the snowy bushes.

“Not now, liebeling, we have to find your brother!” he readjusted her in his arms as he waded into the thick foliage, following the call of metal like a compass drawn north.

A few steps into the bushes he caught a glimpse of blue and reached down to pull it towards him, only to find himself holding an empty jumpsuit.

His heart fell out and shattered on the ground.

Helpless tears filled his eyes even as a potent mix of rage and despair welled up in his belly. He had to tell Charles, he was their only hope now.

He’d gladly take the blame; he wouldn’t even try to stop Charles from leaving him. He deserved that and worse. But nothing could be worse; he’d give anything to have David back safe in his arms.

He clutched Lorna to his chest desperately, letting her babbling questions soothe him as he tried to calm his mind enough to project to Charles across the city.

He could always call, but there was the chance that Charles was in a meeting or lecture and didn’t have his phone handy.

_~Charles!~_ he projected in a wave of dismay. 

_~Erik? What is David doing?~_ came the bemused reply. 

The response took him aback, how did he already know?

_~Hold on, we’ll see you in a moment.~_

Wait, what?

_~ **What** are you talking about?! David is missing! I’m **so sorry**! You have to~_

He felt a light telepathic tug on his attention and turned his head to the entrance of the park only to see-

“DADDY!!” Lorna wiggled so madly in his grip that he let her slide out of his suddenly limp arms and rush to clutch the other man around his knees, nearly tripping him in the snow.

But what caught Erik’s eye was David, happy and safe, cuddled in his father’s arms, dressed warmly in his corduroy coveralls and red sweater, happily kicking his damp socked feet as he lay contented in Charles' embrace.

He stumbled forwards in the snow and wrapped his arms around the three of them. His most beloved people in the world his little family, all safe and together.

 _~Erik, darling, calm your mind, he’s fine, we’re fine.~_ Charles soothed, handing over the sated baby to Erik’s desperate grip.

“My sweet boy, never do that again, never scare me like that, I thought I’d lost you. I thought-" he broke off, throat clogged with tears of relief, gently rocking his son in his arms as David eagerly returned his embrace, likely picking up on his panicked mood and trying to comfort him.

_~He’d understand better if you switched to English~_

Erik opened his eyes to see a sympathetic Charles with a delighted Lorna perched on his shoulders, fingers tangled in his shaggy hair as she squealed her joy for all the world to hear.

He didn’t know when he’d lapsed into his native tongue, but he supposed it didn’t matter.

“Charles, I’m _so so sorry_ , I looked up and he was gone, I-“

“Don’t worry, it’s not your fault, he must have felt me coming and turned your attention away long enough for him to come meet me. I see he took off the suit, you know how proud he’s been of being able to undo snaps.” Charles sent a wave of _calm/forgiveness/understanding_ to his distraught lover.

Erik frowned at that, “but how…?”

“I told you, your mind lights up when you use your mutation, he must have known you’d feel the metal and stop him from coming to me, try to relax darling, he was a few feet from the entrance to the park, well hidden in the bushes, just waiting for me to pass by. He was in no real danger, please love don’t cry.” Charles was starting to look somewhat concerned now as he smoothed a hand up and down Erik’s arm in a calming gesture.

“You’re taking this well, is this normal for telepaths?” he rolled his eyes as Charles had the nerve to look chagrinned.

“I never thought he’d want to get away from you! They absolutely rebel every time you leave!” he defended weakly, still clutching Erik’s arm. “I promise, it won’t happen again, I’ll make sure he understands! I’m so sorry I didn’t think of it sooner, he’s just never acted out this way before.”

Erik took a deep, calming breath and pulled back to look at a sad eyed David who patted his cheek comfortingly with a small, sticky hand. He gave the boy a red eyed smile that the baby returned with a megawatt grin and a wave of _love/trust/comfort_.

“See, he never felt he was in danger because you were in his range.”

“So I’m his personal big bad wolf?” Erik retorted brokenly.

“There are worse things to be.” Charles said softly, giving him a tentative smile which he somewhat grudgingly returned until the smaller man leaned in for a kiss that only broke when Lorna leaned forwards to give his hair a vicious, gloating tug.

“Daddy back!!”

_~See? Mutiny.~_

Charles quirked an eyebrow at the seemingly random statement.

_~I’ll explain later.~_

“Alright baarchen, let’s get you suited up and head home for some soup and hot chocolate,” he cajoled softly, hoping David wouldn’t put up his usual squirming protest at being clothed. His hopes were in vain.

He often joked to Charles that the boy was going to grow up to be a nudist.

By the time he’d wrestled the struggling telepath into his jumpsuit, Charles and Lorna were back to building the fort.

“Ready to head home guys?” he called out only to be met with three pairs of puppy eyes. He gave an internal groan.

There was no winning against that.

“Not just yet, love, let’s enjoy the day. I left early to spend some quality time with you guys. Besides, Lorna tells me you can make a frozen see saw work?” Charles asked somewhat shyly.

Erik gave a put upon sigh, but settled down with David in one side as Charles mounted the other with Lorna in tow.

He felt his mood lift as he flexed his power for the joy of his family, laughing outright as the kids waved happily to each other as they tottered back and forth at a steady pace.

This was nice, and they all deserved a little celebration after the earlier scare.

So what the hell, they gave the merry go round a spin as well. And he even put dumplings in the soup and marshmallows in the hot chocolate.

~~

 _~You don’t have to spoil us you know~_ Charles whispered through his mind as they lay curled together on the couch after finally putting the kids to bed.

 _~I know~_ he replied softly before pulling his lover into what he called a forever kind of kiss ~But I want to. ~

 _~Well in that case it’s alright; just know that we’re not going anywhere, okay? ~_ Charles asked, concerned, then perturbed as Erik began to chuckle.

 _~Oh liebe, that’s why I want to~_ He cupped a hand around the nape his lover’s neck and pulled him in for a soft peck on the lips. _~You’re it for me, the thought of losing one of you-well, it made me count my blessings, that’s all.~_

 _~Alright then~_ Charles lay back against his chest with a satisfied sigh, before twisting to face him with a small quirk of his brows.

“Now, what’s all this about a mutiny?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey!! Thanks to newfoundlove for the chapter request! I had a great time writing it! I hope it met your expectations! Let me know what you think, did Erik's panic feel real? Let me know either way, or if you have any chapter requests of your own! Comments are love XOXO!!


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They arrived at the trendy restaurant Raven had chosen, flushed and in high spirits only to see that Raven and her beau had already arrived. They informed the hostess who let them make their way through the crowded dining room to join the couple.
> 
> “Raven, darling!” Charles embraced her as she stood to greet them; he kissed her cheek and caught a waft of anxiety emanating from her mind. For some reason the thought that she was also nervous calmed him more than anything else and he gave her a broad grin. “You remember Erik.”

“Alright love, ready to go?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be I suppose,” came the morose reply.

“I thought you’d be eager to meet your sister’s lover?” Erik asked, concerned at the mood shift Charles seemed to have undergone as their dinner date grew closer.

“I am, or at least I would be, I’m just worried about botching it all up, we only just reconnected,” Charles fretted anxiously. “What if I don’t like him? What if he hates me? What if he doesn’t treat her well?”

“What if everything goes great and we all become best friends?” Erik soothed, pulling his lover into a tight hug, “We won’t know what will happen until it does, no use worrying about it now. Besides, we can’t both show up with intimidating frowns on our faces, and no offense but you’re stealing my role.”

Charles laughed and pressed more tightly into his embrace before pulling away with a wry chuckle at his own nerves, “I know, you’re right. I’m being foolish; I just missed her I guess.”

“I know how you feel. I never thought I’d miss Ruthie but having an ocean between us has been…not good.”

_~You’re such a softie at heart ~_

_~Keep it to yourself, I have a reputation to uphold, now let’s sneak out while the kids are distracted ~_

_~That’s never worked before! ~_

_~Well it has to eventually! ~_

And in fact they nearly made it to the elevator before the screaming started. They shared a glance and dashed for the stairs instead.

“Do you think Kitty will be alright?”

“She’ll be fine, she can walk through walls and her mind is…bizarre, David has no hope of controlling that one.”

“I still feel strange about you abusing your power over your underclassmen.”

“Don’t be like that, she comes from a big family and loves kids.”

“Ah, I see you’re trying to cure her of that,” Erik nodded understandingly “A sort of public service?”

Charles burst out laughing, all remaining tension evaporating in the face of Erik’s antics, “Hail us a cab darling, if tonight goes badly we’ll be floating home.”

~~

They arrived at the trendy restaurant Raven had chosen, flushed and in high spirits only to see that Raven and her beau had already arrived. They informed the hostess who let them make their way through the crowded dining room to join the couple.

“Raven, darling!” Charles embraced her as she stood to greet them; he kissed her cheek and caught a waft of anxiety emanating from her mind. For some reason the thought that she was also nervous calmed him more than anything else and he gave her a broad grin. “You remember Erik.”

“Yes, hello again Erik,” she leaned forward and shook his hand, “This is Azazel, Azazel, my brother Charles, and his boyfriend Erik.”

The men exchanged greetings, taking note of Azazel’s thick Russian accent and they all sat to peruse the drinks menu.

Raven seemed to grow more nervous as the minutes ticked on and Charles began to worry that something was actually wrong. He debated with himself for a moment before sending a tentative tendril of concern that jolted her from her silent reverie.

She gave him a weak smile in return, “I’m fine Charles, really,” she said softly enough for his ears only.

Not that their boyfriends would have noticed, apparently Azazel spoke German and the two of them had hit it off instantly, much to Charles’ amused relief and Raven’s inexplicable irritation.

She sent the waiter away asking for more time on drink choices and cleared her throat pointedly catching their partners' attention. Azazel had the presence of mind to look chagrinned.

“I apologize dear heart. I know you wish to speak to your brother,” he took her hand comfortingly and gave Charles a sharp toothed smile that would have unnerved him had he not been dating Erik.

“Charles, I take it you haven’t read my mind and I thank you for that, I wanted to tell you this in person, well out loud I mean.”

Charles and Erik shared a look and turned back to her, confusion writ large on their faces.

“I’m sorry my dear but you’re being a bit cryptic, I’m not sure I catch your meaning.”

She groaned and slouched back in her seat, “this is more awkward than I thought. I don’t want you to think we’re moving too fast. I know it’s only been a few months but Azazel and I…”

Raven turned to her lover and widened her eyes, he simply squeezed her hand encouragingly, “Take your time love.”

“We could guess?” Erik offered to lighten the moment, causing the Russian to bark a laugh and the Xaviers' to roll their eyes.

“Just try to get it out darling, before these two get going again,” Charles said supportively as their boyfriends shared an amused grin.

Raven drew in a long steady breath and leaned forwards in her seat, “Alright, Charles I’m pregnant.”

Charles panicked and froze the moment.

Pregnant? After knowing each other for such a short time? It was like him and Reggie all over again.

Well hopefully not _exactly_.

He tried to clear his mind of his own past and opinions. What would Raven want to, _need to_ hear right now? How had he felt when Reggie told him David was on the way? A smile broke over his face, for once he knew the exact right thing to say.

He unfroze the moment and the bustle of the restaurant resumed around them, only a few moments had passed, and he was the only one aware of it.

Erik sat stiffly in next to him, and he realized his dinner companions were braced for him to have a negative reaction to the news.

“Oh Raven! Congratulations, you’ll be an excellent mother!” he stood and pulled her into a tight hug, that she resisted at first out of sheer surprise before she returned it with gusto.

“Really? You’re not mad? You don’t think we’re rushing things?” she anxiously searched his face for hidden disapproval.

“A few months ago I’d have said yes, absolutely but now I think you can meet someone and just know,” they shared a watery smile before turning back to their boyfriends who had struck up again, this time in French, to give the siblings a moment to themselves.

“I don’t know how I feel about that,” Raven remarked dryly.

“I agree, seems like a recipe for disaster,” Charles agreed with a light frown.

“I guess we’ll just have to wait and see,” the corners of Raven’s mouth turned down as their men burst into raucous laughter, “In hindsight it may have been as mistake to introduce them.”

“Well you know what they say about hindsight,” Charles sighed as they retook their seats, catching the attention of their lovers once again.

“Great news, Raven, really. You two are in for the ride of your lives!” Erik broke off laughing, “In fact, you should consider babysitting our two sometime, as practice you know?”

Azazel said something that sounded vaguely accusatory in a Polish which set Erik off again, “Oh, my red friend, you have no idea!”

Raven turned to Charles with raised eyebrows, which he responded to with a playful wink and mental nudge of ~ _trust me~_

“Well in light of this momentous news, may I propose a toast,” Raven beamed as Erik and Azazel perked up at the mention of finally getting the evening started, likely with some Eastern European drinking game that would get them tossed from the establishment within the half hour.

Charles signaled the waiter who approached with alacrity, “Four sparkling water’s please, and stuffed mushrooms as an appetizer.” The waiter smiled and collected their drink menus before heading to the kitchen.

Charles turned back to his table mates with a look of faux confusion at their long faces, “What’s wrong, don’t you like mushrooms?”

Raven lost the battle to hold in her laughter, “Oh Charles, only you.”

“Well, they can’t complain, it’s only fair if you’re not drinking none of us should, it’s _your night after all_.” He said pointedly to the two shamed men who appeared to be exchanging numbers, likely taking a rain check on getting smashed together.

“Yes dear, of course, I apologize Raven, congratulations again,” Erik placated as he placed his phone back in his pocket and leaned over to give Charles a soft kiss on the temple causing the smaller man to simply melt before bringing the conversation back on track, “So when are you due?”

~~

“He seems a bit shy, but really nice, I’m so relieved!” Charles sighed as they relaxed into bed after checking in on the kids and sending an exhausted Kitty home with a generous tip.

“Yes, he’s a great guy, seems really taken with your sister.”

“Well he’d better be, she’s fantastic.”

 “She is, but I meant that they’re in it for the long haul now. 18 to life.”

“Stop saying things like that, you’re going to scare them away!”

“No, Lorna is going to do that with her shifty assistant, the mini Xavier, I can’t believe they actually agreed to babysit!” he crowed with delight.

“Well Azazel seemed less than enthusiastic.”

“As well he should be he’s a smart man.”

“What exactly are you saying about my sister?”

“That she’s overly optimistic, but will soon learn that there is no hope for logic or silence or not being bitten at least twice a day.”

“I told you it’s a phase!” Charles defended his son heatedly.

“Some phase, he nearly broke the skin last time!”

“You were proud of that,” Charles stated flatly.

“Yes well, my boy is a warrior, he conducts himself with honor.” Erik smiled at the memory.

Charles snorted a laugh, “You’re incorrigible.”

Erik laughed as well, “seems you and Az are in the same boat.”

“How so?” he asked, confused.

“18 to life.”

Charles’ confusion melted into a slow smile, “I’ll take life.”

“Good choice, because every time we have another kid, the calendar resets anyway.”

“I see your plan,” Charles chuckled.

“Finally he catches on!” Erik teased _~some telepath~_

_~Hey! ~_ Came the indignant reply _~I’ll show you what some telepath can do!~_ and he did just that until Erik had no complaints to voice, and no voice to say them at any rate.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this is full of typos I didn't catch so please let me know!! What do you think of Raven's news? I made Azazel nice in this, I can't see this Raven being with a psychopath lol! 
> 
> As always let me know what you think, or if there are any particular scenes you want to see! All my love XOXO!!


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raven and Azazel babysit!!

“Oh god, why did I let you talk me into this?” Raven groaned as she slumped against the wall of Charles’ apartment.

Azazel raised one eyebrow and wisely said nothing as he watched his exhausted girlfriend struggle upright and make her way over to lean against his chest.

“This is not so bad, there are only two of them, once we add ours it will be worse,” he offered sagely causing her to pull back and give him an incredulous glare.

“Is that supposed to help?!”

He seemed baffled by her response, “yes, it is to say, this could be worse.”

“No, you’re saying it _will_ be worse!”

“ _It will_! What is the problem? The sooner we accept this the sooner we can move on,” he smoothed his hands along her sides, hoping to help her calm down.

“Anne Raaayy!!!” came an ear splitting shriek from David’s bedroom.

“Is there any chance that didn’t wake Lorna?” she asked rhetorically as moments later two voices took up the cry.

“I don’t understand why they won’t take a nap!” she griped as they made their way back down the hall.

“Who likes naps?” Azazel asked, seeming genuinely confused by her irritation, “I used to hide every time my grandmother tried to put me down for one.” He smiled fondly at the memory even as he tangled his fingers with Raven’s, loving the sight of their entwined hands.

She smiled shyly at him, blushing lavender and looking like the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. He leaned in to snag a quick kiss before swinging the bedroom door open before the shouts could become a cacophony.

“ZaZA!!” David yelped, having taken a strong liking to the other man on first sight, he suspected the boy liked his brain patterns.

 Charles had been intrigued by his inability to read his mind. Azazel was somewhat surprised to learn that the other man liked the sense of mystery he’d found so rarely in life.

~~

“I can’t read you even accidentally,” he’d gushed cheerfully after trying unsuccessfully to read his mind for several minutes. With focus they could exchange brief thoughts, but that was the extent of it. “Oh, Davey is going to have a field day with you!”

“Yes, let’s leave them to their field day,” Erik had growled possessively tugging the telepath to the door.

“Oh, be patient!” he'd swatted the mechanic playfully, “All right you two, have a good day, we’ll be just down the hall if you need us. But…don’t just pop in, you know?” he blushed and gestured towards his temple, “call for me or just knock on the door and give it a minute, we might be, um occupied.”

“Eww, just go, Charles,” Raven had shooed them away with both hands.

“Don’t need us,” Erik had said shortly before finally succeeding in getting the other man out the door, closing it behind them with his power.

“Well, that was abrupt,” Raven said with a small laugh.

“I think that will be us when we need time away from our little one.”

She thoughtfully placed a hand on the slight curve of her lower belly, not noticeable if you didn’t know to look. He felt a flush of pride rush through him at the sight. “You may be onto something there, we’d better do a good job of this so they’ll take her off our hands every once in a while,” she smiled, playfully continuing their argument about the gender of the little one.

“I think we will be fine, it’s two against two, good odds in any fight.”

~~

An hour later Azazel was rethinking those odds as he attempted to dodge another bite from David by teleporting a few feet away causing the little boy to squeal with delight and come staggering after him again even as it sent Lorna into a full blown screaming tantrum.

“What’s going on?!” Raven rushed into the room brandishing a butter knife, eyes unnaturally wide as she took in the scene before her.

Lorna ran to her, nearly knocking her over as she flung her arms around her knees and pressed her snotty, tear streaked face against her shins, sobbing for all she was worth.

“I may have frightened the girl,” he said apologetically. Looking so shamefaced that Raven’s gaze softened even as she knelt to soothe the startled toddler.

“It’s all right love, Zazel didn’t mean it, he’s not so bad,” she sing songed, rocking the baby back and forth in a gentle embrace, allowing the small girl to wipe her nose against her shoulder.

Just as she’d begun to calm down, Azazel felt a sharp pain ricochet through his tail and let out a yelp to match David’s cry of triumph even as he teleported them both to the living room, the small boy still latched on like a lamprey, giggling with delight.

Down the hall he heard panicked scream as Lorna burst into another round of tears.

He sighed and turned lift David into his arms, “you, young man are nothing but trouble,” he asserted with a frown.

“ZAZA!” David wriggled happily and wrapped his chubby arms around his neck to give him a slobbery kiss on one cheek.

In spite of himself, Azazel was charmed, “I see what Erik meant about you being a heart thief,” he grumbled, getting another kiss for his trouble. “Alright, I think we interrupted Aunt Raven making lunch, let’s see if we can finish up, hmm?” he asked, carrying the chipper boy into the kitchen.

~~

Meanwhile Raven had managed to bring Lorna back from the brink by turning her hair a matching green and letting it flow down her back.

Lorna had stopped crying mid wail to stare at her in shock, “Raben green haiw?”

“Yes, sweetie, see? Just as pretty as you!” she’d assured somewhat desperately, about two seconds away from calling Charles for back up, willing to face Erik’s wrath if it meant the screaming would stop.

“Raben green haiw! Long haiw!” she’d beamed, back in high spirits as she and Raven began styling her now floor length mane with an assortment of ribbons and hair ties and, while the blue lady wasn’t looking, some glitter and play doh as well.

But those were surprises.

~~

“I’m hungwee, Raben,” Lorna eventually complained after happily tangling section after section of Raven’s hair in a childish attempt at braids.

“Oh right, lunch, I was doing that,” Raven muttered under her breath, shortening her hair to waist length as she stood, “all right little Lorna, lets head to the kitchen and see what we can get done, hmm, see what the boys are up too as well.”

She opened the bedroom door, letting Lorna run out ahead of her yelling, “Dabie!!”

“Ah good, see David, the ladies have decided to join us,” Azazel grinned at her while fastening David into his high chair, “I was about to call you for lunch.”

“Oh good, Lorna and I are starved,” Raven helped the little girl get settled before sitting down across from her boyfriend with a soft smile. He’d make a great dad.

“I finished the sandwiches you started, we are having crackers as well,” He frowned in consternation, “your brother’s apartment does not appear to have any adult food.”

Raven cracked up at that, “Oh, Charles can’t cook! That’s why I’m so good, I was desperate to eat anything he didn’t make when we were in college, I even took a class!”

Azazel joined her laughing, “I had wondered why someone who grew up with a chef was such a stellar cook.”

He loved making her blush.

“You charmer, flattery will get you nothing.”

“Ahh, but what more could I need?” he teased causing her to blush to deepen as they dug into their food.

“Good thing they’re old enough to feed themselves, I’m too hungry to wait,” she laughed.

“In small enough pieces, Charles said, I can see why,” Azazel added dryly, watching the kids try and shove as many crackers and sandwich pieces into their mouths at once as they could. “I think they are competing,” he added with a laugh, noticing their locked gazes as they ate.

Raven looked at them suspiciously, “I think you’re right, stop that, you two!”

“Leave them be, at least they’re quiet,” he smiled, “I’ll take what I can get.”

~~

After lunch came a brief viewing of Daniel Tiger’s neighborhood which Azazel found far more entertaining than he’d anticipated while Raven cleared up lunch. Lorna had even warmed up to him some, snuggling against his side while the show was playing.

He was honestly a bit relieved; she was fine with him, just not the teleporting. He could work with that.

David had crawled into his lap immediately upon hearing the intro and was riveted to the animated creatures prancing around the screen.

He looked up at the end of the episode only to see Raven watching him happily from the doorway of the kitchen.

“You guys are adorable, but I think someone’s tired,” she gestured to Lorna’s drooping eyelids. “Let’s put them down for n-a-p time, Erik said they need stories first, each of them gets to pick one,” she’d seemed pleased at the prospect and they had all actually rather enjoyed story time, the kids even quietly laying down after.

Of course Lorna was asleep before the end of her story, but Raven still counted that as a win.

But the screaming had started as soon as they closed the door behind them. Time and again.

And now again.

“Perhaps one of us may need to stay in the room to get them to settle down,” he suggested, out of other ideas as David reached for him and Lorna groggily rubbed her eyes.

“I’ll do it, hell I can n-a-p in the rocking chair, it’ll do me some good,” Raven smiled and settled down with David in her arms, rocking him gently to help him settle down.

Lorna was easier to send back off once Azazel tucked her in with her stuffed octopus and smoothed her hair down until her breathing leveled off.

He turned to go, taking another moment to look over Raven who had also dropped off to sleep, even as David had watched him sulkily from her embrace. He sighed, wanting to let the girls sleep, but doubting David would let that happen.

“Alright, little one, it’s you and me,” he’d lifted him from Raven’s arms, stopping to press a quick kiss to her temple before taking the tiny telepath back to the living room where they’d settled onto the couch. Azazel told him Russian fairy stories he remembered from his childhood and before long the little boy was knocked out, drooling on the Red man’s shirt, fingers curled into the fabric.

“Maybe my grandmother was onto something,” he murmured sleepily, allowing himself to drift off as well.

~~

He woke an hour later to two pairs of matching blue eyes smiling down at him, “Did you guys have fun?”

Charles asked, practically bouncing in place. Obvious hickey was obvious.

“Not as much as I suspect you had,” he yawned fully causing David to clap and laugh in delight. “The boy seems to view me as a party clown.” He stated flatly causing Charles to laugh as well.

“Oh he just likes you, he’s a huge fan, trust me.” They both beamed at him with their megawatt smiles. He blinked, stunned, Erik had never stood a chance.

Speaking of his newest friend, the other man walked in, trailing his daughter who rushed into the room and threw herself onto Charles’ legs with a cry of “Daddy!!”

“So, how was it?” Erik asked with a grin.

“All you said and more,” he assured with a matching smile, “Especially this one. As you said he has the heart of a warrior.” Erik puffed up with pride, leaning over to pinch David’s cheek.

“Good, we wanted you to get a feel for a normal afternoon,” Charles said.

“Yes, and next time you can get a feel for a normal night. You know, dinner, bath, bed. It’ll be great!” Erik cheered, clapping Azazel on the shoulder, as the red man stood speechless at the prospect.

“Oh that’s a great idea Erik! This was such a good experience!” Raven agreed, walking into the living room, in the process of putting her hair up into a pony tail.

“Well, I guess my lady has spoken,” he said resigned to spending endless hours as Erik’s free baby sitter before his own child arrived. At least the kids were sweet, he even thought he could win Lorna over in time.

“Oh my god!” they turned as one to see Raven staring in horror at her hands that had some away from her hair covered in glitter and half melted play-doh. “What?! How?!”

“SUPWISE!!” Lorna shouted as Erik burst into hysterical laughter. Charles simply chuckled and took a picture.

Azazel made his way over to his distraught girlfriend, trying to hide a grin of his own, as families went, he could do worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was surprised by how many people wanted to read the babysitting chapter so here it is!! I hope you like it! Let me know! Your comments are my muse!!


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Super short chapter Charles POV of the flu, poor dear!

Charles woke slowly and with a pained grimace as the sunlight hit his eyes. His head ached and his tongue felt like sandpaper. He never thought he’d miss being hung over, but anything had to be better than the flu. He groaned and rolled over onto his stomach, body aching like he’d been in a brawl.

He’d rather have been in a brawl.

“But that would set a bad example for the kids,” he muttered to himself, wincing as much from the sound of his raspy voice as the knifing pain in his larynx.

“Don’t be too concerned with them, darling, they’re the reason you’re laid out as it is,” came the soft reply.

He cracked an eye and peered blearily at the shadow man thankfully blocking the sun from the bed, “Have you come to collect my soul?” he asked the sympathetic sounding apparition.

“Don’t be so dramatic, love, you’re not dying. We just need to get some fluids into you and then you can go back to sleep,” the concerned being leaned into focus and became Erik.

He blinked in confusion, “What day is it?” his pained gasp faded into a prolonged coughing fit.

 _~You do know you’re a telepath right? No need to push your luck by talking out loud.~_ Concerned Erik frowned down at him.

 _~What?~_ Charles replied blearily, having lost his place in the conversation mid sentence.

 _~Exactly, now sit up and drink your tea~_  Sweet Erik cajoled, rubbing a soothing hand over Charles’ sticky shoulders.

Ugh sitting up. Equal ugh not having tea. He whimpered at his conundrum. Erik sighed in response, had he been projecting all of that?

“Yes, yes you were, now come on, I’ll help you sit up and you can have your tea and medicine alright?” Kind Erik offered.

“Doan wan medcin,” he mumbled grumpily, flinching as his breathy voice scraped his throat once more.

~ _STOP TALKING, mein got you’re stubborn~_ Worried Erik hissed in his mind even as he gently helped him turn over and sit up, leaning against the warmth of his chest rather than the cold metal of the headboard.

 _~Erik, I’m sick~_ he whined piteously in his mind.

 _~I know, darling, you're poorly~_ he carefully held the mug of warm tea to his lover’s lips and helped him slowly sip the honeyed brew.

~ _Not poorly, DYING~_ Charles insisted with dramatic emphasis.

_~That’s not what the doctor said, dearest and I’m going to take her non delusional word over yours right now okay?~_

What? No not ok! Charles was a genius! He was way smarter than the GP!

 _~I’m sure you are darling, but this_ is _her specialty and you are getting better, see, your fever broke last night~_ Traitorous Erik soothed sweetly.

Charles chaffed at his logical rebuttal of the **Fact That Charles Was On His Death Bed**.

 Perhaps Erik didn’t care, he clearly didn’t believe him. He’d be sorry when Charles DIED than he’d see; Charles pouted and sipped his tea, bitterly snuggling into his lover’s warm embrace.

Cruel Erik stifled a laugh into his hair and kissed his ear tenderly, _~I will be sorry when you die but that won’t be for a very long time lieb, I promise.~_

Oh, was he still projecting?

 _~Yes and it’s adorable, don’t fret darling, here drink your medicine~_ he offered the bitter slime as though it was fit for human consumption.

Charles turned his face into Erik’s warm shoulder and snuffled miserably.

Hateful Erik turned him gently and tapped his lips with the medicine cup until Charles reluctantly opened them to down the ineffectual poison.

 _~Good boy sweetheart, now lie back down and get some rest okay?~_ Soothing Erik murmured softly.

Charles peered around owlishly, already half asleep as it was, ~ _David?Lorna?Quiet?~_

~ _Now I know you’re ill, they’re never quiet,~_ Thinks He’s Clever Erik snorted, _~I took them to the crèche, they’ve gone every day since they got better and you got worse~_

Charles had lost his place again. Maybe that GP did know her stuff, he approved of this medicine that pushed his cares to the back of his mind.

“Alright I think I’ve lost you…” Ethereally Glowing Erik’s voice drifted in from a distance.

So he’d been an angel all along. That made a certain kind of sense; he far was too beautiful to be real…

 _~…Alright… I’ll be back with lunch. Rest until then, sweet~_ Confused Angel Erik projected cautiously.

Yes, Charles could manage that. With the amazing medicine he was on he could accomplish _anything!_ He laughed to himself and it didn’t even hurt!

He snuggled into the blankets with a sigh, pleasantly drifting to sleep. Best whateverdayitwas ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Sorry for the long wait! I promise faster updates I've just been a bit busy IRL! Let me know what you thought of the chapter and please submit any requests! I hope this fit the bill for sickness hurt/comfort but do let me know! You guys are the best! XOXO!


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A visit from Edie and Ruth!

Unfortunately the illness that had swept the household, managing to bypass Erik entirely, to Charles’ incredulous envy, had easily encompassed Valentine’s Day, ruining the telepaths plans for a romantic holiday.

Erik had less than concerned with missing what was a secondary celebration in his eyes, “Really Charles, you people make a huge deal of _everything_ , just relax,” he’d soothed the pouting professor once he was lucid enough to complain about their missed date.

The metal bender had been even more disconcerted to see the crèche decorated in pinks and reds and so much glitter he feared it would never come out of the children’s clothes.

But he’d dutifully dressed them for the holiday party their caregivers threw and hung their misshapen but endearing valentines on the fridge to be admired until Charles felt well enough to put them in the memory book.

“In Germany, Valentine’s Day is for adults, its considered improper for children,” he’d explained his discomfort with seeing children’s valentines in the store, “it’s odd, that’s all.”

Charles found his reticence surrounding the holiday almost painfully endearing and made a mental note to make next year special for them.

~~

Time passed in the blink of an eye and soon spring was knocking on the door, bringing with it Lorna’s second birthday.

Charles had thought Erik would take her back to Germany to spend a few weeks with his family who he missed dearly, but the metal bender had other plans.

“Actually I’d planned on them coming here.”

Charles gaped in shock, “What? When? H-Why?” he finally stuttered out.

Erik ruffled a hand through Charles’ hair with a laugh, “why so nervous? You’ve met them both.”

“Yes, over Skype, but Jesus Christ, Erik, how long have you been planning this?” he demanded anxiously, mind whirling.

“Not long, I mentioned going home last night when I talked to mom but she said there was no need since Ruthie is _apparently_ coming over in a few weeks anyway. Mom says she may as well come with her and see our new city.”

Charles raised his eyebrows at that, “you didn't know your sister planned to visit?”

“No, it seems she wanted to keep that to herself,” he growled irritably.

“Um, like a surprise visit?” Charles asked, confused about the situation, as Erik projected _anger/irritation/annoyance/concern_ and a maelstrom of German invectives.

He sighed and ran a hand over his face before slouching down on the couch, “She’s coming across to meet her _internet boyfriend_. He lives in Jersey, just over the bridge. She wasn’t going to tell me she was here until after they met. Mom let it slip accidentally and now Ruth isn’t speaking to either of us,” he muttered sullenly looking like a surly teenager on the verge of a tantrum.

Charles hid a smile behind one hand, but of course his boyfriend noticed.

“What’s so funny?”

“Well, Ruth is a very intelligent, well adjusted young woman; maybe you could trust her in this,” Charles suggested pragmatically.

Erik looked at him like he’d sprouted a second head that was currently breathing fire, “she has horrible taste in men! Why doesn’t she want me to meet him if he’s so great?” he demanded angrily, rattling all the metal in the room at an atomic level.

 _~I can’t imagine~_ Charles raised his eyebrows meaningfully until the vibrating stopped and Erik sat back, body still strung with tension.

“I just, I worry about her. With people like my dad and Regina out there,” he sighed, “Ruthie is _baseline_ and so sweet. If anything happened to her…”

Charles melted at the sight of his lovers concern; he pulled the taller man down to rest his head on his lap, “I take it you tried to tell her that and it came out…forcefully?” he asked as tactfully as possible.

 Erik sighed a miserable acknowledgement.

“Do you know if he’s a mutant?” Charles asked casually, wondering if he knew the guy through the mutant center.

“Mom says he is, he and Ruthie have been talking for nearly a year, she never even mentioned him to me,” he said almost too softly to be heard.

_~Oh darling, maybe she just wants to be sure before she said anything~_

_~So you think she’s sure?~_ he was inundated with Erik’s panic at the thought.

_~Well, she’s sure she wants to meet him so that’s something to keep in mind **before** you decide to hack her accounts and make this guy disappear before they ever meet.~_

_~I wasn’t-~_ he began defensively.

 _~I am **literally** reading your mind, do you really want to finish that sentence?~_ he asked skeptically.

Erik gave a frustrated groan and buried his face against Charles’ thighs _~I don’t like this~_

 _~I know darling, but we can work something out. Don’t worry~_ He felt Erik’s mental scoff at that and rolled his eyes. To think everyone called _him_ the dramatic one.

~~

The next day Charles called Edie to get their arrival dates set, they planned to stay for a week at the Casablanca Hotel Times Square on Charles’ recommendation that they use the trip as a real vacation, not just a family visit.

That won Ruth over, who’d long wanted to see the sights of New York, even before her brother moved.

She’d even-reluctantly- agreed to allow Charles to accompany her to meet her boyfriend for the first time, saying “literally anything and anyone is better than Erik.”

Privately Charles had to agree. Erik was an absolute wreck leading up to their arrival; he’d walked in on the other man giving the children aggressive lectures in internet safety and “catfishing predators” on more than one occasion.

Fortunately they seemed intent on climbing him, or building with blocks, or trying to stuff plastic fruit into his mouth each time he opened it, so Charles wasn’t particularly concerned with any of his paranoia rubbing off on their impressionable minds.

He knew the other man felt his amusement at the situation, but he couldn’t help it. Erik at his most protective was the sweetest thing he’d ever seen.

~~

The date of their arrival finally came and Erik left for the airport to take them to check into their hotel then bring them back to the apartment to meet Charles and David.

Lorna was very excited about seeing her grandmother and aunt and David was pleased to have new admirers for his finger paintings.

Charles channeled their simple pleasures to calm himself about this momentous meeting. He’d spoken to both women several times and they got along fine he assured himself.

It would be fine. The hours flew by slowly as he waited for his _soon to be in-laws?_ To arrive.

It as early afternoon before he finally sensed Erik’s mind approaching, accompanied by two others, one with a very similar layout to his. Charles had seen that before in natal siblings and it always gave him a pleasant head rush.

 _~Okay Xavier, time to shine~_ he took a deep breath and checked himself over in the mirror one last time. Glancing at the kids to make sure they were still happy with their new seven piece puzzle and that David was still fully clothed.

By the time the Lehnsherr’s made it to the door, he’d just finished tugging his son’s shirt back on and smoothing his hair down.

~ _Please try not to embarrass Daddy~_ he all but begged him to keep his pants on and received an excited giggle for his trouble. _~That doesn’t bode well~_ he sighed, he’d take the day as it came.

He felt Erik’s mind flare in greeting just before the door swung open.

Lorna rushed forwards with a squeal to be swept into her grandmother’s loving embrace while David hid behind Charles’ legs to peer out at the strangers in their midst projecting _excitement/confusion/anxiety_.

Until Erik scooped him up for introductions, which he loved.

Charles stepped forwards with a bright smile, “Hello, Edie, Ruth, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person,” he was quickly pulled into two surprise hugs and enveloped in the sea of _exhaustion/joy/excitement_ emanating from the two.

“Hello Charles, it’s lovely to finally meet you as well,” Edie beamed at him. Tall and slim like her son, all angles and sliver streaked hair. She was a striking woman with a sunny spirit that shone from her mind like a beacon.

Charles loved her from the moment he brushed her mind, David seemed to agree, wriggling in Erik’s arms and reaching for her with a whine as he pulled her attention towards him with a light tug.

“Oh my!” she swayed on her feet and handed Lorna to her aunt to reach for David, “Erik warned me about you, little baarchen,” she cuddled him close as Charles mentally tightened his tether on David’s mind so he couldn’t influence either woman unduly.

Erik was now able to hold formidable shields for extended periods of time due to his tutelage, though he was still imminently susceptible to the kids’ puppy dog eyes and verbal pleading.

Sometimes Charles fondly wondered why he even bothered.

“Yes, he is a darling, and he looks just like you!” Ruth cooed, leaning forwards to kiss David on his fat little cheeks as Lorna snuggled happily in her warm embrace, chattering contentedly in a mix of German and English.

Charles blushed at the compliment much to Erik’s projected _irritation_ and he knew why.

Ruth was an undeniably beautiful young woman with wavy auburn hair that fell nearly to her waist and Erik’s changeable eyes with a slender yet shapely figure.

He rolled his eyes at Erik’s irritation with his sister for perceived flirting as Ruth winked at him, full lips quirking up on one side; he felt a tentative mental nudge from her and opened his mind to see that she was simply winding Erik up for the fun of it.

Great. Now there were two.

“Great to meet you Ruth,” ~ _Be nice, Erik’s going to burst a blood vessel at this rate~_

She laughed out loud, eyes twinkling in delight as Erik emitted an irritated huff and turned intense eyes to him.

~ _What did you say to her? **Did she tell you his name?**!~_

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, not sure whether he wanted to laugh or cry _~I-~_

“Erik, Ruth, leave Charles alone!” Edie cut in once she had directed the kids back to their puzzle and cottoned on to her children’s silent struggle for Charles’ attention.

“But mama-,“ they chorused, gesturing towards each other petulantly before she cut them off with a sharp gesture, “ _None of it_ , come Charles,” she hooked her elbow through his, “Erik tells me you make an excellent cup of tea and I’d love to have a sit down with you. I’ve looked forwards to it,” he happily led to her to the kitchen, eager to bask in the warmth of her mind.

“You two, play nice and entertain the kids, I want to get to know this charming young man,” she called over her shoulder, pulling Charles close with a genuine smile.

 _~Edie, I think this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship~_ he felt her mind glimmer happily at the quote.

The glow of her mind flooded his being with the fullness of her delight and relief that he liked her and was able to understand her thickly accented English.

His heart softened, as worried that he had been that she wouldn’t like him, she’d been just as concerned that they wouldn’t get along, that Erik would be awkwardly caught in the middle.

He glanced back at the siblings as Erik laughed, watching as the kids tried climbing Ruth like a tree, something she seemed to greatly enjoy.

The day was looking up.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I have a few ideas for Ruth's mutant boyfriend but I'm open to suggestions as well! Let me know how you liked the chapter and please point out any typos you noticed along the way! Much love! XOXO!!


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ruth and Charles meet her boyfriend! Also some of her history!

Ruth glanced around nervously, fidgeting slightly in her seat as she waited for her date to arrive. They were early, having been driven from the apartment ahead of time by Erik’s unhappy presence.

They were in a small bookstore café that Charles had suggested as neutral meeting ground. It was also far enough from their building that Erik couldn’t sneak out to follow them without Edie noticing his long absence.

Charles felt Ruth’s anxiety build from across the room where he was unobtrusively pretending to browse. He sent her a wave of _calm_ and received a tiny smile in thanks.

She looked lovely in a yellow sundress and white cardigan that modestly showed her assets and offset her hair nicely. Edie had spent the morning helping her pin it up in an understated French twist while the kids attempted to help and Erik glowered in the background.

Charles returned the smile then went back to scanning the area lightly for any approaching mutants. A few came and went from the radius he was projecting without any intent to stop at the café. Then just a few minutes before their meet time, he felt a strong presence approaching quickly.

The guy was _nervous, anxious about being late; hoping he had the right address was dressed nicely enough._ Charles smiled at that, if he was that nervous then he must be serious about Ruth.

He gave the woman in question a light nudge that had her straightening up in her sea and nervously patting her hair down.

The guy paused to collect himself before coming into sight then strode purposefully into the café, immediately locking eyes with Ruth.

Bizarre eyes Charles noted, but Ruth didn’t flinch, of course she’d been having regular Skype dates with Remy for the past several months.

She stood to greet him as he strode over and kissed her hand genteelly, causing her to blush.

 _~He’s here, everything’s fine~_ Charles projected to the knot of tension that was his boyfriend.

He carefully didn’t listen in on their conversation but was unable to ignore the chemistry between the two.

_~What are they saying? Who is he? What are his intentions?!~_

Charles stifled a laugh and risked a glance at the happy couple who were now holding hands over the small café table.

_~I don’t know what they are saying and no I’m not listening in! She said his name is Remy, he’s a consultant for the FBI. I can see that he’s a powerful mutant; no I don’t know what he can do. Right now his intentions appear to be treating your sister to sweet tea and a slice of lemon cake.~_

He received the mental equivalent of a frown at that _~How powerful?~_

Charles was versed enough in Erik to hear the real question in the query _~I’m sure if it came down to it you could take him in a fight, darling~_ he sent a playful nudge at the other man and an unobtrusive thought to Ruth that he was heading to another section of the store to give them a bit of space.

She projected _cheerful gratitude_ and gave him a quick glance causing Remy to look over with a small look of confusion.

She instantly reclaimed his attention with a light squeeze to his hand, Charles approved of his attentiveness, though he supposed a federal agent and visible mutant would tend to be on the alert.

Remy gave him a subtle nod after what was presumably Ruth explaining his presence. Charles returned it and went to scope the science section. He always got a thrill out of seeing his books on the shelf and was not disappointed by the shop selections. He took his time alternately browsing and soothing an increasingly concerned  Erik.

After another hour and a half, Ruth projected that she was ready to leave. He made his way to the front of the store where he spied the two of them standing near a shelf of bestselling mystery novels, exchanging a small kiss.

He gave her a mental nudge as he approached and she pulled away with a light blush, “Charles, this is Remy. Remy, this is Charles my brother’s boyfriend.”

“Hello, Remy, its lovely to meet you,” Charles’s offered hand was enclosed in a warm, firm grip as the other man gave a wolfish smile.

“I dare say the pleasure is mine mon ami,” came the cheerful reply, “This little lady tells me yore a telepath?” he continued in his thick Cajun drawl.

“Yes, I am,” Charles tensed subconsciously at the reveal, until Remy continued with, “Excellent, and here I was worried I’d only get to meet dear Ruth with her brother present. She warned me about him you know,” he leaned in conspiratorially causing Charles to laugh.

“I’m sorry to say she was not exaggerating.”

“Oh, thas alright, ole Remy here’ll win him ovah in no time,” he smiled again, gave Ruth a kiss on the cheek and Charles another handshake before making his way out the door.

“Well, he does have confidence,“ _and charm._ He added silently, liking the man in spite of himself.

Ruth sighed dreamily, “He does, doesn’t he?”

“Are you seeing him again?”

“Tomorrow night. He wants to take me to a show,” she beamed.

“Sounds fun, are you sure you’ll make it back to your hotel after?” he teased, seeing the rosy hue to her thoughts about the following evening.

She blushed a deep red and smacked him on the arm, “wouldn’t you like to know?”

“Oh no, 22 is certainly old enough for sleepovers. At least in my opinion, _Erik_ on the other hand…”

“Has no leg to stand on! Impregnating women at concerts and all!” she flinched away after she said it, suddenly remembering she was speaking to his boyfriend.

“I mean-“she startled at Charles’ burst of laughter.

“It’s different when it’s your younger sister. Trust me on that.” He looped their arms and led her to the door, _~Stop looking so mortified, I heard the story of Lorna a long time ago~_

 _~Still~_ she projected back, but she was calming down, able to see the humor in the situation after a moment. They walked in comfortable silence for a while before she spoke again.

“I don’t know what I’m going to tell Erik and mama. I like him so much, I almost want to keep him to myself,” she gushed.

“I understand, but haven’t you done that for a while now?” he asked, somewhat confused by her reluctance to share Remy with her family.

She hesitated slightly in answering, “You must think I’m crazy.”

“No, no, I can see that this is important to you, can you tell me what’s wrong?” Charles guided her to sit on a bench and held one of her hands in his.

“Well Charles, you know I’m human,” she began cautiously, watching him closely as she spoke. He nodded, and gave her hand an encouraging squeeze.

“Well, Erik is…well, **Erik**. And he made such a name for himself in Dusseldorf… one of my first clear memories is of him sending our father away,” she said softly. “Papa always scared me and since then Erik was like…” she floundered for the word “my hero I suppose.” She was silent for a long moment, mind whirring a mile a minute.

“He was this big time mechanic. We’re working class so everyone knew to come to him, you know? He’s never been shy about his mutation. Which is fine!” she rushed to clarify “he shouldn’t be! But, well. He scared the only mutant boy who was interested in me away. And humans-other humans, call mama a carrier. They call me one too.”

Charles frowned at the picture she painted of her life, “They’re worried you carry the X gene?”

“Yes or that I have an invisible mutation, like my brother and I just keep it hidden.” He had a sudden glimpse of her memories, being teased by humans and rejected by mutants who were only kind to her out of deference to her brother.

“Oh, Ruth, I never would have thought…”

She sighed, “no one ever does.” She hesitated then projected a memory of being surrounded by (visibly) human girls crowding her into a corner in the changing rooms at the local pool, tearing her towel off “checking for mutations.”

She couldn’t have been older than 13.

His heart broke for her even as he was filled with protective rage. He could only imagine how Erik would have reacted if she’d run home and told him.

“Anyway,” she continued softly, “ I’ve had better luck with mutant guys. But it took me a while to realize most of them weren’t serious about me. Not the girl to take home, to have a _mutant family_ with, you know? Even if I _do_ carry the X gene, it increases the risk of human kids,” she sucked in a deep breath and let out a shaky exhale.

“Then I met Remy, and he had issues because of his eyes and he doesn’t care that I’m human! He…likes me-for me! Unless-“ she glanced at him nervously, “Did you pick up anything…?”

Charles startled at the spike of anxiety in her thoughts, “Oh no! he thinks you’re lovely. Would love to take you to meet his grandmother. I mean I just did a quick scan to make sure he meant no harm but I didn’t see any deceit towards you, Ruth.” Charles assured softly, heart aching for the sweet young woman and what she’d had to endure simply for being born as she was.

She gave a relieved smile at that, then grew serious once more, “Charles, I’ve never told Erik any of this. Only mama and a few of my friends in mixed relationships. They understand, I’m just not sure how he would take it. I worry that he would blame himself. And possibly destroy the city,” she said with an eye roll.

“A legitimate concern, in this case,” Charles agreed with a wry chuckle, “You don’t have to tell him, if you want to keep this between us we can, I can just reassure him about Remy and remind him of the hard time you’ve had dating. He knows about that, right?”

“Yes, just not _why_. Because I don’t blame him and I don’t want him to think that I do. But at the same time I kind of want him to know; I want him to see that I’ve been through it and I’m able to take care of myself. I don’t want him to see me as naïve anymore, perhaps… you can help me tell him?” she pleaded nervously.

“Of course, Ruth, I’d be happy to,” he promised.

She sighed heavily, “thanks for this. For coming with me and listening, for running interference with Erik. You’re a darling, Charles,” she gave him a sweet smile.

“It’s no problem, I’m always here if you need me, alright?” he helped her to her feet and looped their arms once again to continue their walk home.

Each lost in their own thoughts about the day, the past, and the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes it's Gambit! Do you like the pick for her boyfriend? We got a little more into the dynamics of their world, hope it wasn't too sad! Please let me know what you think!! Comments are love! XOXO!!


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Visit with Edie! Mostly set up for the next two Chapters!!

Erik pace and muttered under his breath as they waited for Edie to arrive. She was seeing Ruth off from their hotel for her date before coming over for an evening outing with them.

Erik had wanted to be there as well, but the other three vetoed him in unison.

He’d been betrayed.

“Vai!” David yelped loudly, catching his attention. He knelt to see what David wanted to show him. It was a Care Bears coloring book open to a random page and filled with a mass of colorful swirls.

Well, not colorful so much as red, black, and purple. It was beautiful. “That’s wonderful darling! Let’s show your daddy, hmm?” he said with a soft smile for his little man.

“ZAZA!!” David cheered happily, gesturing at the page before stumbling to his feet and toddling towards the bedroom where Charles was still getting ready.

Oh. Erik looked at the picture again, a slow smile spreading across his face as he took in the Care Bear Lion, if the colors had been within the lines…black hair, red skin, tail. David was shaping up to be his favorite artist.

~~

“Lorna please just pick one, and a shirt if you don’t mind.”

“Daddy, wear this one!” She waived a dark blue tie around like a banner.

“That’s the problem dear, I can only wear one tie and you’ve picked three and no shirt or jacket! I can’t leave the house half naked!” he explained with an exasperated laugh. He’d agreed to let her pick his outfit since she was upset about being left home for the night with a sitter.

David on the other hand was thrilled at the prospect, something that would have surprised him more if he weren’t also fascinated by his sister’s boyfriend. Or at least his mind.

“Here!” Lorna flung a pair of cashmere socks onto the bed with a triumphant grin.

“Yes dear, but four pairs of socks is something of overkill don’t you think?” he pleaded.

“What are you doing, Charles?” he looked up from his fruitless negotiation with a toddler to see his boyfriend and son watching them with matching looks of bemusement.”

“Lorn! Daddy! No!” David squealed happily as he stumbled into the room. No being his newest and most favorite word.

“No indeed,” Charles grumbled. “Lorna seems insistent that I not wear a shirt this evening.” He slumped helplessly onto the bed only to have her pull yet another pair of shoes from the closet. He opened his mouth to speak again only to feel a surge of interest from his lover. He looked over his shoulder to see him eyeing his exposed torso hungrily.

He quirked an eyebrow at his boyfriend, happy that his sister had agreed to stay the night. They had regular sex, but it was always somewhat restrained by the presence of the children, either not wanting to wake them, or if they did wake, stopping their activities to tend to them. He was greatly looking forwards to the night ahead and if the look on Erik’s face was anything to go by he wasn’t alone in that.

 _~A little help here?~_ he sent playfully.

 _~Something to help you out of later~_ Erik growled hotly in his mind, causing the telepath to flush bright red under his freckles.

“Daddy!!” David caught their attention before their flirtation could intensify and lo and behold, he was holding a shirt.

~~

“Alright, and we can call you anytime, right?” Raven asked nervously.

“Yes, either of us, we’re just going for dinner and a bit of sightseeing so we’ll be able to answer the phone no matter what.” Charles reassured her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pressing a kiss into her hair.

“Until about ten at least. We should be home by then and not taking anymore calls,” Erik cut in sharply. “You need anything after that, call 911.”

“Why, Erik? Big plans for the evening?” Azazel asked dryly, chuckling at the look Erik gave him.

“You guys are so gross! When does the honeymoon phase end?” Raven griped playfully as she stepped back to straighten her brother’s tie. She'd made the mistake of telling him he was dressed better than usual only to have him flush in embarrassment and Erik snort laughter.

“Psycologists disagree-” Charles began excitedly until three groans cut him off mid sentence, he shut his mouth with a pout.

“Alright, we should go wait at my place, my mother should be here soon.” He straightened his cuffs and adjusted his coat. “She may want to come and say hi to the kids so we might be right back.”

“I’m _sure_ she’ll want to see the kids, we’ll see you in a minute and I’ll text you once we’re back home for the night.” Charles said with a bright smile.

“Remember what happens after we’re home for the night,” Erik hissed in passing as Charles dragged him out the door.

“That definitely felt like a threat,” Raven mused after they had gone.

“That’s because it was, sweetheart,” Azazel concurred as they made their way back to the kids’ room hand in hand.

~~

“I feel a bit guilty getting the kids all riled up and then leaving,” Edie said softly after they were seated at Le Bernardin by their gracious hostess.

“Don’t worry about them, Mama, they’ve been left for dead,” Erik said acerbically, not looking up from the wine menu.

Edie and Charles shared a look at that, “Don’t worry, they want the practice before their little one comes. It’ll be good for them.” Charles said with a bright smile. “Besides, if the kids were with us, we couldn’t have come here,” he patted her hand gently.

Edie smiled at that and gave a reluctant nod. This was easily the finest establishment she’d ever frequented. She’d never even cleaned a place half so nice, and now here she was being treated like a queen by the staff. It was a novel experience.

Charles gave her a soft look at that and she wondered if he’d heard her thoughts.

~ _I caught your feelings, they’re lovely_ ~ he soothed. She gave him a warm smile and settled in to enjoy their evening.

“This wine list is amazing, I almost want to decide what to eat based on which wine I want,” Erik mused.

“That sounds like you, dear,” Edie said with a smile as he gave her a bashful grin. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been this happy. She certainly couldn't recall the last time Erik had been so carefree. She glanced at the man responsible for the lighthearted change in her son. This evening was for getting to know him better and hopefully soon she’d be welcoming him to the family properly.

~~

“What kind of name is Remy, anyway?” Erik snarked as they made their way home after dropping a tired Edie back at her hotel.

They’d had a magical evening, taking her picture with Erik in front of Radio City Music Hall and going to the Top of the Rock Observation Deck to see the city lights all lit up for the night. She’d been enraptured.

They’d closed the evening with a handsome cab ride through Manhattan that had made her light up with glee. She had refused to allow them to see her up to her room, seeing through her son’s ploy. Then Charles had refused to sweep the hotel to see if Ruth had made it back yet.

Erik was petulant.

“Remy is a perfectly fine name love, but not one you need to concern yourself with, right now.” Charles murmured softly, pressing a warm kiss to his boyfriend’s mouth and leaning in close. It was late and they were alone in the elevator.

Erik caught on to his meaning in a rush, “Oh no?” he smirked playfully.

“Not. At. All.” Charles pulled him into a hot kiss that got him pressed against the wall for a tight grind session that left them both panting and tenting their trousers.

The elevator opened on their floor and they rushed out in a tangle of limbs, rushing to Erik’s apartment like they were being chased by the hounds of hell.

Charles only paused to send Raven and Edie a text that they were home safely before tossing his phone aside and following a seductive Erik to the bedroom.

He’d been promised a strip tease and now seemed like a good time for the sexy mechanic to pay up.

 _~10:10, no calls, you’re all mine._ ~ Erik pounced as soon as he stepped past the threshold. Charles wasn’t going to argue with that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Umm, I'm back! I'm not dead! I'll be updating regularly again! XOXO! Thanks so much for staying with me!! Your comments brought me back!! I love you all! As usual any comments or request are more than welcome, they are love!!


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smut! Erik stripping! You can skip this chapter and not miss any story developments!

Erik smirked as he caught Charles’ thought; he’d been teasing the idea of stripping for his lover for weeks. He loved the way Charles looked at his body. Erik knew he was attractive, but something about the way Charles appreciated him heated his blood like nothing else on earth.

He playfully caught his boyfriend by the hand and led him to the bed, kneeling in front of him to take his shoes off before placing a hand on the center of his chest and pressing him flat against the sheets.

Charles moaned at the motion, pupils dilated as he clutched at Erik’s narrow hips and arched to grind their erections together. Erik allowed it for a moment before pulling away with a sly smile.

~I live to make dreams come true~ he projected with a sultry look. Watching the confusion flicker across Charles’ face until he flicked his fingers and set their iHome to a preselected playlist.

He watched as understanding flooded Charles’s face and was soon replaced by a potent mix of lust and excitement.

The heavy bass flooded the room as he lifted his hands to run his fingers through his slightly longer than normal hair. Charles liked it a bit unkempt so he’d never gone back to his utilitarian almost buzz cut.

He slowly slipped his necktie off and tossed it to his captive audience of one before slowly stripping off his tailored jacket , allowing the darker cloth to frame his torso for a long moment before allowing it to fall to the floor.

He knew how Charles loved his lean build and dramatic shoulder to hip ratio. From the pattern of his lover’s breathing, this was going very well so far.

~ _More?~_ he teased, lightly toying with the buttons on his shirt.

 _~Yes, please~_ Charles practically begged in his mind.

Erik turned slowly and rocked his hips in time to the music, unbuttoning his shirt, projecting his view of his own hands undoing his shirt even as Charles kept his eyes locked on Erik’s tight ass with a desperate groan.

He slipped the shirt off his shoulders, letting it hang on his bent elbows before turning to his face enraptured boyfriend with another sly smile.

He let the shirt drop as he prowled to the bed and crawled up the mattress to range over his lover. Charles ran hungry hands over his hard abs and tight nipples before Erik trapped his hands at his sides with a tight grip.

“No touching the dancers sir.” He said in as serious a voice as he could manage with Charles held tightly between his thighs.

“Erik, have mercy,” he gasped, arching up to catch one of his nipples in his teeth making the taller man buck his hips and tangle his fingers in his lovers hair to hold him in place before shoving him away roughly and shoving him to sit against the headboard, relishing the way Charles arched to get away from the cold metal against his heated flesh.

Quick as a blink he had Charles’ hands held immobile at head level in manacles forged from the wrought iron, caressing the telepath lovingly.

“Erik, please!”

“Soon, darling,” he promised with a pout as he let his hands trail over Charles’ tight body hungrily. “I haven’t even got my trousers off yet.”

Charles groaned and banged his head back against the iron in frustration and mounting excitement, undecided if this was torture or the best thing that had ever happened to him.

 _~Why can’t it be both?~_ Erik asked prosaically as he stood to kick off his shoes and socks  and slowly, achingly shimmy out of his pants, leaving him clad only in black boxer briefs. That left nothing to the imagination.

Charles whimpered, completely gone with lust ~ _please, come back over here, darling, I won’t touch unless you let me.~_ he bargained hotly projecting his arousal, making Erik weak at the knees with the depth of his desire.

Erik laughed at that and rattled the makeshift manacles in place, “I know, dearest, I’ve made sure of that, haven’t I?”

“Erik-,” Charles began brokenly. But he was hushed with a light finger to his lips.

“Quiet darling, we’re almost to the best part,” Erik soothed as he slid a hand over his aching cock, caressing himself through the thin fabric of his shorts. He hooked his fingers into the waistband feeling Charles’ arousal heighten when he paused as an idea struck.

He hid a mischievous grin and dropped his hands to his sides, feeling the palpable disappointment as Charles slumped against the headboard with a questioning sigh.

“No worries darling, I just want to be dressed for this next bit, he smirked as he proceeded to strip Charles of his remaining clothes, with eager help from the man himself who didn’t even protest once the bonds were back in place.

Erik stripped off his one remaining article of clothing and nearly came on the spot as Charles’ lust arched through both of them in a hot waive that left them both panting.

He crawled back onto the bed and straddled his telepath, lining their cocks up and taking them in one hand to stoke them in time.

Charles keened and pressed up into his grip with a gasp that Erik swallowed in a heated kiss. The tease had been too intense for either of them to last long so they didn’t draw it out.

 Charles joined their minds as they raced towards completion. They crested at the same moment, whiting out in a sudden rush of bone deep pleasure that sears their hearts and souls with the depth of their love.

Erik slipped bonelessly off Charles’ lap to lie prone on the bed as the manacles releases Charles and wove themselves back into the intricate metalwork of the headboard.

Charles slumped wearily at his side breathless with slaked desire. ~ _That was amazing. 10/10~_

Erik quirked a smile and ran absent fingers though his lovers sweaty hair. “Worth the wait?”

“Most definitely, I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to repay you,” Charles said coyly, twinning their fingers together in a firm grip.

“You’re clever. I’m sure you’ll think of something,” Erik demurred even as he sent a variety of options to his telepath.

Charles snorted a laugh at some of his more creative suggestions. “Well, I’ll certainly see what I can do about those, but for now we need a shower.” He said flirtatiously, sliding his hand up Erik’s firmly muscled thigh.

 _~Far be it from me to argue with that~_ Erik projected as he pulled the telepath into a heated embrace.

_~It’s amazing the kind of night we can have without the kids here~_

~ _You said it, we should outsource them more often~_

They shared a smile at that, though they doubted Raven and Azazel would agree to another overnight gig anytime in the near future. Or possibly ever again.

Charles chuckled. “Let’s just enjoy it while it lasts.” Words to live by.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi hi! Thanks for the welcome back! I'm glad to be back! I missed you all so much, thank you for the chapter suggestions! More to come soon! Comments are love! XOXOX!!


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Family Dinner! Emotional Conversation! Erik Gets Angry! Chapter Set Up!

Charles sat with an anxious Ruth as they waited for Erik and Edie to finish cooking dinner. It had been a fun week of a visit and the Lehnsherr’s were returning to Germany the day after next.

Charles had enjoyed the visit far more than he thought he would and was relieved to have made true friends with Erik’s closest kin.

“It’s going to be fine you know?” he comforted her quietly, taking one of her hands in his and patting it softly.

She gave him a strained smile and nodded, “I know, he’s just so… _Erik_ if you know what I mean.”

Charles gave a low chuckle, “Boy do I.”

“Do you think I should even tell him?”

“If you want him to meet Remy it might be for the best that he starts to see you as an adult rather than just his kid sister. But there are other ways of going about that if you want to keep it private.”

“I know, but it feels wrong leaving him out of the loop when you and mama know. Remy knows, Heck Davy probably knows,” the tiny boy perked up from his sleepy slouch against her chest, his new favorite place to snuggle, she soothed him by rubbing slow circles on his back until he settled down.

“Probably,” Charles said fondly, leaning forwards to run his fingers though his sons chestnut hair. “It’ll be fine, whatever you decide to do, I’m here for you.”

“Thank you, Charles, I can’t wait for you all to meet Remy properly. He’s mentioned returning my visit soon. He wants to see where I grew up,” she blushed happily at the very thought of the man.

“Dinner!” Erik called shuffling into the dining room to set down several dishes while Lorna clung to his leg like a little monkey.

Charles hid a smile at the sight before glancing at his son who was officially down for the count, “Let me put him down and I’ll be right out,” he lifted his son from her lap and headed down the hall to tuck him in while Ruth wrestled Lorna away from her brothers leg and got her situated for dinner.

Erik and Edie worked in seamless motion, setting the table and a sitting down to eat just a few moments after they’d begun.

Charles joined them a few moments later and sat down to the kind of family dinner he’d always longed for as a child, spending so much time with Erik and the kids had spoiled him to this kind of life. Realizing that his family was only growing larger made his heart melt. He tucked into the perfectly done roast chicken with duchess potatoes and black eyed pea succotash with relish.

“Save room for dessert Charles, I made apple upside down cake,” Edie cautioned even as he poured adoration on her for her cooking skills and of course passing them on to her son.

“Do you cook Ruth?” he asked, he’d wondered why she hadn’t helped them in the kitchen but with her nerves soaring it hadn’t been the right time to ask.

“Oh yes, but Erik and I in the kitchen at the same time is never a good idea,” she informed him primly.

“We don’t work well together,” Erik said flatly as he cut up Lorna’s chicken and tried to entice to at least try to use utensils. His efforts were futile, as soon as he looked away she’d gone to stuffing her face with succotash, chubby little fists overflowing. Erik frowned.

“Oh look at that Erik; she’s a picture of you at that age!” Edie said brightly, Charles laughed out loud at the mental image she called to mind of a fat little boy shoving fistfuls of baked apples into his mouth.

“If only we’d had a video camera I could show you so many things,” she laughed at the suspicious look Erik shot her.

“If you can remember it, I can see it,” Charles encouraged her with his most charming grin that set her to blushing like a young girl.

“That’s enough of that,” Erik said, trying to hide a smile at their playfulness. His frown returned the instant he noticed Lorna struggling with her spoon, eyes fixed on her aunt who was giving her an encouraging smile.

“What’s this? How did you get her to do that?” he demanded, shocked by his daughters quick turnaround.

“I think she just likes me,” Ruth gave an impish grin at Erik’s exasperated look.

“She needs female role models, I’ve been trying to tell you that,” Charles patted his boyfriends hand amiably. “That’s all.”

“Yes, she’s at that age. It’s good you’re back in touch with your sister, Charles. You’ll see how much she takes after the women in her life. I was surprised to see it with Ruthie, she was always in my makeup and dresses and wearing my shoes.

“I wasn’t alone in the makeup,” Ruth protested with a laugh.

Charles gave him abashed boyfriend an inquisitive look,

“I thought I could put it on her better! I couldn’t possibly have put it on worse!” he said with a shy grin at the memory he clearly hadn’t thought of in years.

Edie burst out laughing, followed a moment later by Charles at the mental image of her coming home from work to find a fourteen year old Erik patiently trying to apply what appeared to be all of her makeup to a five year old Ruth’s face.

“That’s what big brother’s are for,” Charles chuckled, kissing Erik’s knuckles warmly, basking in the glow of their happiness. Delighting in the sparks of approval he felt radiating from Ruth and Edie at his small show of affection and how naturally Erik accepted it. He filed the moment away for later reflection for it was surely one of the best of his life.

They finished their meal with much chatter and joy until Lorna lost her battle with sleep and Edie happily took her for a quick wash up then bed. Her efforts with silverware had left her arguably messier than usual, Charles thought lovingly as he noted the creamed potatoes smeared against her temple. He made a point to remind himself to see about a proper bath first thing in the morning.

“I’ll get coffee started and bring out the cake,” Ruth smiled as she headed to the kitchen to do just that.

He and Erik shared a soft smile, _~I see what you mean, I wish they didn’t live so far away~_

~ _They’re alright I guess~_ Erik grinned, mind glowing with delight and belying his words.

 _~I guess…~_ Charles leaned in for a quick kiss, perfectly chaste, that still had Erik blushing because his mother was in the house. ~ _You’re adorable, darling, never change_ ~

 _~I won’t~_ Erik daringly leaned in for a kiss of his own.

~~

They’d finished their espresso and The Best Cake Charles Had Ever Tasted a fact of which he informed Edie in no uncertain terms and set her blushing again and promising to leave the recipe with Erik who looked proud enough to burst.

“Erik,” Ruth said softly, catching his attention.

“Yes?”

She took a breath that made Erik tense, “I’d like you to meet Remy before mama and I leave.” Erik had begun to frown so she gave Charles a look and hurried on with her speech, “I really like him and he likes me, we’re good together and I really think we can make a go of it.” She said simply.

Erik gave a slow nod, “Fine then. I’ll meet him if you like,” he growled.

“ _Erik_ I mean it, be nice, he’s the first guy in a long time who’s even given me the time of day!” Edie leaned over and took her hand in solidarity.

Erik’s frown deepened, “What do you mean, you’re a perfectly lovely girl!” he demanded, incensed that his precious sister had been rejected.

 _~You didn’t want her to have a boyfriend in the first place~_ Charles reminded him acerbically

_~Of course not! But that should have been her choice! Boys should have been knocking down the door only to be firmly rejected!~_

Charles rolled his eyes at his boyfriends nonsense, “Erik, Ruth told me about the hard time she’s had dating, and part of that is human-mutant prejudice.” He led in gently watching the shock and dismay spread slowly over his face.

Erik turned to his sister with a tight look, “Humans have rejected you over…m-my mutation?” he asked shakily. He’d nearly said _me._ Charles’s heart broke for the quiet sorrow filling his lover.

Ruth nodded miserably, but Erik cut in again before she could speak, “Then why not date mutant boys? Did you not want to?” he finished softly, wondering if his sister was repulsed or frightened by him on some level. Many humans were. Perhaps this Remy was her only option and she was in fact settling for the only man who’d have her. The thought filled him with humiliation and seething rage.

“No, Erik mutants were not better and were in some cases worse. Many mutants won’t date a human, or if they will, they won’t marry or start a family with them,” She insisted hurriedly, reading his body language perfectly and attempting to diffuse the situation.

Erik frowned at the thought, he knew mutants who felt that way and he did _prefer_ to date mutants but he honestly didn’t discriminate when it came to relationships. In fact, Charles was his longest relationship with a fellow mutant. Most of his past lovers had been human. He dated based on who he clicked with as a person, nothing more nothing less.

 “I’m sorry that happened to you,” he said grimly. “Give me a list of names-“

“Erik! No! That’s what I’m trying to avoid! Especially now that I’m dating a cop,” she said smugly.

“He’s a fed!” Erik contradicted.

Ruth rolled her eyes. “Like that makes it better, Erik?”

He simply huffed a breath, clearly still processing what she’d shared.

“We’d be happy to meet him tomorrow,” Charles said softly, giving his stunned boyfriend a small smile.

“Thank you so much!” Ruth beamed. The ladies took their leave soon after in a cab Charles called for them.

He took Edie aside for a moment, allowing Erik and Ruth to speak in private. "You’re a good man, Charles. You’ve made my Erik a better man. Thank you,” She said too softly to be over heard by her children.

“Thank you for raising such a wonderful man,” he contradicted lightly, then it was his turn to blush as she pressed loving kiss to his cheek.

In another moment they were gone and Erik was staring at the door like he didn’t know what to make of it. Charles stepped in behind him and wrapped his arms around the taller mans waist and leaned his head against his shoulder, letting him work it out in his own mind.

Erik was reeling, how could he have been so dense? Of course it could happen to Ruthie, it happened to humans and mutants alike all the time. Of course he’d imagined that everyone in the world could see how amazing his sister was at first glance. He saw the looks she garnered and as much as they irritated him he understood.

But he knew mutants who led humans on or were ashamed of them and their non mutant children. He knew of more than one broken home that had resulted from bias on one side or the other. The thought of someone treating his little Ruthie like some afterthought set his blood boiling.

He wanted to kill every man who’d hurt his sister, starting with his father. He suddenly called to mind her tiny, tear streaked face peering out at him from behind a cabinet where she’d gone to hide from their father’s rage. It was the fear in her eyes that let him manifest, he knew he had to protect her… then suddenly he _could_ and he _did_ and he always _had_ , or so he’d thought. But in reality he’d failed her, just like’ he’d failed mama all those times before.

~ _Erik! Erik! Calm your mind!~_ Charles’ panicked voice broke through the fog of anger clouding his mind. He glanced up in surprise to see all the metal in the apartment levitating and rattling. The children were wailing in their beds and Charles was seconds away from shutting him down forcibly, he could feel it.

He stopped the rattling and set everything back in its place with a gentle, simultaneous clatter.

He took in Charles’ pale face, so much like the night they’d met. He was terrified.

Of Erik this time.

His heart broke again and he dashed out of the apartment and down the stairs to the street below. He was a monster, just like Regina, just like his father. He circled the block for over an hour at least until his mind was clear and he’d fully calmed down.

He felt Charles keeping his distant tabs on him in his head and wouldn’t blame the other man for locking him out for the night. Or maybe forever.

 _~Oh come inside you silly man~_ a tired and exasperated Charles said fondly. He rushed back up the stairs to fins the leftovers put away and the dishwasher running.

The kids were quiet- so either making mischief or sleeping. Charles welcomed him with a tight hug before pulling back to look him in the eye. “You’re not a monster, Erik. You’re a good man who feels very deeply and very strongly. It’s understandable for you to get upset. But you stopped as soon as you saw how you were effecting us,” he said with a sad smile. “Did your father ever do that?”

“No,” Erik said hoarsely.

“Neither did Regina. It was always our fault, before during and after the fact,” the telepath said wearily.

“But you were afraid of me,” he said guardedly.

“Oh darling I was afraid of what you might _do_ but I knew you’d never hurt me or the kids. I might fear for the rest of the city, or even the _world_ if you were upset enough,” he teased, “but at the end of it all I’d be standing by your side in the rubble. With all the other innocents no doubt.” Charles said warmly, opening his mind to his distraught lover so he could see the trust and lack of fear. His appreciation of Erik removing himself from the situation until he was under control.

But Erik wasn’t so quick to forgive himself “The kids?” he asked anxiously, unable to bear the thought of them flinching from him or his power.

“They were frightened yes, but only because they woke suddenly and thought something had happened. Their thoughts aren’t very clear at the best of times and half dreaming…” he faded out with a shrug.

“I’m sorry Charles. I never wanted to scare you. It’ll never happen again, I’ll work on my control I swear to you,” he said fervently as he pulled the smaller man close and tucked him under chin reverently.

An idea lit in Charles’ mind at his words and he felt a wide smile break over his face, “I know you will darling.”  _~And I know just the place~_ He kept to himself. He had the perfect place in mind and the perfect occasion as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm actually seeing an end in sight! I plan to do Erik meeting Remy but if you have any other requests for a Chapter please let me know! I also hope this covers the chapter prompt for Erik getting angry and scaring the family! Comments are love and I love you all XOXO!


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erik and Remy Meet!

Charles was anxious though he tried not to show it. Today meant a lot to Ruth and to Erik as well. He remembered his nerves about meeting Azazel and how well that had all turned out. Perhaps this would work out the same.

He was relieved that Ruth and Remy hadn’t known each other in person long enough to be giving them news of another niece or nephew. Erik wasn’t ready for that on any level. His boyfriend turned to look at him as though he’d called him out loud.

 _~Are you alright?~_ he asked tentatively.

 _~Yes, I still feel a bit raw after last night but I’d like to meet the man who’s made Ruthie so happy~_ he said with a wan smile.

 _~That’s the spirit~_ Charles smiled back.

They were on their way to meet the other couple and Edie for lunch, the light changed and Erik turned his attention back to the road. They sat in comfortable silence together, basking in the warmth of their love, each lost in their own thoughts about the family they were building.

They pulled up to the restaurant a few minutes early to find that their party had already arrived.

“You Germans make me feel so tardy in everything I do, even when I’m early I’m late!” Charles laughed as Erik tossed the keys to the valet with a stern look.

“Timeliness is a matter of respect,” he caught his boyfriends hand and tugged him inside, following the call of the necklace he’d made for his mother for her fiftieth birthday.

He caught sight of them almost immediately and did an admirable job of hiding his instinctive flinch at Remy’s eyes.

Charles sent him a sympathetic wave of _~peace~_ for which he received a grateful squeeze of his fingers.

Ruth looked up at them and smiled, happy and nervous in equal measure looking stunning in a mint green sheath dress that made her eyes sparkle like emeralds in the early afternoon light.

Charles smiled at the image, wondering if he’d be thinking the same thing about Lorna in a few years.

Edie gave them each a kiss on the cheek and Charles pulled her chair out for her to retake her seat as Erik and Remy sized each other up and shook hands.

Ruth stepped in with a grin, “Remy, this is my brother, Erik. Erik, this is Remy. You’ve already met Charles.”

“Yes, I have and it’s lovely to see y’all again,” Remy shook his hand with a firm but not oppressive grip before turning to Erik who had been silently sizing him up. Apparently he passed muster because Erik extended a hand and gave him his customary smile.

Charles hid a grin at the fact that Remy silently wondered if Erik had a physical mutation that caused him to have more teeth than usual.

“Hello Remy, my sister was eager for us to meet,” he said stiffly once they were all seated comfortably though he noticeably relaxed once he saw the other man help Ruth to her seat and unfurl her napkin for her.

_~I told you he’s a gentleman~_

_~He’d better be~_ Erik sent with a small frown.

“Ah yes, dear Ruth has told me so much about you as well, I feel like I’m meeting a celebrity,” he chuckled warmly, projecting an air of perfect ease even though Charles could feel his nervous tension coiled at the base of his skull. He longed to soothe it for him, but they didn’t know one another well enough yet.

Erik smiled in spite of himself, “So you two met online?”

“Yes, a mixed dating site if you can believe it. It wasn’t my only profile on a dating site but as soon as I was matched with dear Ruth no one else existed for me,” he took her hand lightly in his and brushed his thumb over her knuckles. She ducked her head to hide her grin.

Charles felt Erik relax further at their small byplay. He knew his sister well enough to read her body language and not only was she happy with Remy; she was perfectly comfortable with him as well.

Charles breathed a sigh of relief and shared a small grin with Edie at the hurdle they’d cleared.

Their waiter arrived and took their drink and appetizer orders before Remy regaled them with the story of how he’d become a federal agent.

“I nevah and I mean nevah would have imagined this as a boy. Like tha sayin’ goes _if my friends could see me now_.” He chuckled. “I was a thief, the best if you can believe it, runs in the family you know,” Edie and Ruth nodded, clearly having heard the story before.

Erik was frowning again but clinched Charles' fingers in a vice grip rather than saying or doing anything to spoil their cautious camaraderie.

“I was small for my age at about fifteen and about as powerful as I am now but didn’t have the control mind ya. I's sent to steal a painting and got stuck in a vent,” he chuckled at the memory. “I's terrified at the time, never thought I’d see the free light o’ day evah again but the agency had been tracking my clan for a long while, knew what I could do, and asked if I wanted to turn it all around.

“Well in all honesty I didn’t care _what_ happened, I’s just sore my pa and cousins left me to get taken to the clink so I agreed to go to my motha’s people and get on the straight and narrow. The agency got me some training and after I’s done with school they made an offer. I’s been a good guy evah since,” he finished with a flourish.

“You should write a book,” Charles enthused at the end of his tale “Your life sounds so interesting."

“Yes, I’d be eager to read that,” Erik agreed without irony.

Charles couldn’t hide his smile at the rush of relief that came with his words, everyone had been worried about his reaction to Remy’s colorful past, after all the man had been a criminal and raised by them, for more than half his young life.

Their appetizers arrived and everyone placed their main order before tucking in. He allowed the others to chat while he turned to Edie with a charming smile, “Now about these memories you wanted to show me…”

~~

The rest of the meal passed without major incident and while Erik and Remy weren’t on the way to being fast friends they had formed a sort of tentative truce.

Ruth was beyond pleased and Remy had offered to take her and Edie on a walking tour of his favorite sights before they left. The women were pleased at the prospect and Charles was more than ready for a nap after the stressful night and morning they’d shared.

Ruth paused to give Erik a warm kiss on the cheek as they all said their goodbyes, they’d be seeing each other the next evening as Erik was their ride to the airport and they both wanted to see the kids once more before they left.

“Thank you,” she whispered, smiling brightly at him.

“I just want you to be happy, Ruthie, if he makes you happy, you can keep him,” he said magnanimously as he clutched her tight to his chest in an impromptu hug.

She laughingly returned it and swatted him on the shoulder as they pulled away, “He’s not a stray dog, Erik!”

“We’ll he’d better not be, you’re terrified of dogs,” he said simply with a light tug to one of her long braids.

“Ready babe?” Charles tucked his hand into Erik’s arm and they bid their goodbyes and headed back to the car. “That went better than expected.”

Erik smiled, “Yes, it did. He seems like a good man, nothing like Ruth’s usual type.”

Charles gave him a doubtful look, “And what is her usual type?”

“Unacceptable. It’s an endless category. I was beginning to suspect she had a problem,” he said dryly as he started up the car.

“A problem other than a terrifying older brother who’d have been happier if she took vows as a cloistered nun?” He asked dubiously as the pulled into the midday traffic.

“Don’t be ridiculous Charles, we’re not Catholic,” Erik chided, lightly causing his boyfriend to give up holding in his laughter.

“Then the Jewish version!”

“There _is_ no Jewish version or I’d have looked into it for her long ago!” Erik laughed, mind shining bright and free of concern now that he’d met Remy and found him passable.

“You ridiculous man, you’re lucky I love you,” Charles gasped as his chuckles faded.

Erik slanted him a look out of the side of his eye, “I know.”

Charles blushed at the honest warmth pressing against his mind at Erik’s kind words and encircled him in a bright pool of their love.

“Want to pick up the kids from crèche or?” Erik asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Definitely or! There’s a nap calling my name!” Charles sighed dramatically.

Thankfully Erik wholeheartedly agreed and they headed home alone for a long cuddle session.

Just as they settled in, Charles asked with a smile. ~ _So your mom told me to ask you about this?~_

He sent an image of a small boy in short pants standing in the pouring rain, surrounding by about a dozen frantic garden frogs and refusing to come inside for any reason.

Erik grinned fondly at the memory “It’s simple; I bet my neighbor I could collect more frogs than he could, I tripped and they escaped the bucket. I wasn’t going to waste my hours of work because of a little rain.

“It’s a wonder you didn’t catch your death of cold.”

“Oh I did, no wonder she remembers it so clearly. I was sick as a dog for ages,” he chuckled.

“What were you going to do with a bucket of frogs anyway?” Charles chided with a fond smile.

“I didn’t think that far ahead Charles, I was living in the moment!”

“I’ll have to thank Edie for this, that’s my new favorite story.”

“I never should have introduced you, neither of you can be trusted,” Erik prodded him playfully.

“Never said we could be,” Charles laughed as Erik rolled him over and pounced, tickling him until he was short of breath and then kissing him until he was lost to that as well.

_~You’re the love of my life~_

_~~Likewise darling~~_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! Thanks so much for your comments I can't tell you how much I love them! did you like Remy? Do you like Ruth and Remy together? Spot any typos or plot holes? Comment below, let me know! Love you all!! XOXO!


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Family adventure in the city!

Life settled back into its normal routine quickly after Ruth and Edie left. The kids missed them wildly and even Skype chats didn’t improve their sullen mood. Charles joked that David had fallen more than a little in love with Ruth and seeing her on the screen simply didn’t cut it.

Erik had eventually agreed and strongly suspected that his little man had a liking for red hair, “Remember Thanksgiving? Who’s thankful for _hair_?” he demanded as Charles rolled his eyes at his theory.

They were on their way to the Build-A-Bear workshop on one of the rare Saturdays they both had entirely free.

Charles twisted around in his seat with a frown, “Davey, please! Shoes on, darling!”

Erik simply shook his head in resignation, “Once the shoes come off it all comes off.”

“I refuse to accept that,” Charles said grimly. Lorna ignored them all, bopping along to the music on the radio and singing along as best she could.

~ _And keeping her jumper on~_ Erik thought smugly.

~ _You think she’s so special because she keeps her clothes on~_ Charles grinned playfully.

 _~It’s not a **bad** attribute in a child~_ Erik agreed happily. The kids had shown no adverse affects after his episode the night of their family dinner. He’d watched them closely and was sure Charles had as well but neither of them seemed any less inclined to climb him or demand his attention at any given point in time. He was beyond relieved that he hadn’t scarred them with his fit.

They finally made their way through the midday traffic and paid for parking. They unpacked the car and settled onto a nearby bench to feed the kids some goldfish crackers and juice boxes before heading inside. David was a bit fussy after their long sojourn through traffic and Charles got up to pace with him a bit out of the flow of foot traffic.

Erik was wiping cheese dust from Lorna’s tiny, grasping fingers while murmuring to her in German when he looked up to see Charles caught in a conversation with a stunning blonde wearing an all white business suit with tastefully appointed jewelry.

She reminded Erik of Charles’ mother. Not in appearance, but in the way she carried herself, like a socialite he supposed. Lorna frowned up at him then turned her head to see what had caught his attention.

Then Erik noticed. Her lips weren’t moving but she was smiling at Charles like they were having a conversation. He could only see the back of Charles’ head but it appeared that his boyfriend was having a telepathic conversation with a stranger. That was rare for Charles to say the least.

David stretched out a sticky hand towards the woman, giving her his toothiest, dimpled smile. She took his tiny hand in hers and smiled but still said nothing. Erik swallowed a feeling of _concern/jealousy/irritation_. Who was she? And why was Charles speaking to her.

“Daddy!” Lorna called, but her shout was lost in the cacophony of traffic, fortunately she’d also notified Charles telepathically and he turned to them quickly, making sure nothing was wrong.

Erik picked up their re-packed diaper bag and his daughter and stepped over to their side.

“What is it darling?” Charles asked Lorna sweetly but she was ignoring him in favor of staring at the blonde in wide eyed wonder.

“Hi!” she yelped after a moment of silent contemplation. The woman darted a look between Erik and Charles with a slight crease in her brow. Erik felt an icy press against his mental shields. It was powerful, but the woman was either holding back or not nearly as strong as Charles.

“Hello, dear,” the woman cooed with a stiff smile at the chubby toddler.

“Erik, this is Emma Frost. A fellow telepath,” Charles said with a bright smile. “Ms. Frost, this is Erik and Lorna.”

She and Erik exchanged a wary hand shake; he was more than a bit irritated to feel another invasive press against his shields. He’d never been more thankful for the constant training David provided. He’d gotten sneakier in recent weeks with his new found love for shortbread cookies.

“Ah, yes. David here caught my attention. I was just telling Professor Xavier that his son has quite a telepathic reach for his age.” David perked up at the mention of his name and wriggled madly in his father’s arms as he reached for the other telepath.

She took a small step back but continued smiling. Charles frowned and slanted Erik a careful look before turning his attention back to Ms. Frost. It took him another moment to catch on that she’d continued speaking telepathically.

Erik felt his face fall into one of the looks his mother used to scold him for. He wasn’t going to watch his boyfriend get picked up right in front of him. He sent a quick mental nudge to Charles when suddenly Emma flinched and took another half step back.

She darted him a surprised look, but he hadn’t done anything, his first instinct was to suspect David, but he seemed enamored of the new telepath, had Charles rebuffed her? Erik felt a petty delight at the thought before he realized Lorna’s face was puckered up in a deep frown.

The telepath stumbled slightly forwards again, albeit very stiffly. Erik caught on a moment later and jostled Lorna to make her stop. She hated being ignored and was tugging at the woman in efforts to be noticed.

“I’m sorry, she’s a bit of an attention hog,” he said, knowing he didn’t sound sorry at all because he wasn’t.

 _~Lorna was doing that?~_ Charles asked, intrigued. _~Is everything alright?~_

~ _You know how she is about being ignored~_ he shrugged with a smug smirk at the blonde who looked frustrated to be left out of their conversation. He knew there was no way she was strong enough to get past Charles or Davey, much less both of them. ~ _See how she likes it~_

 _~There’s no need to be petulant, Erik~_ Charles projected with a fond tinge before reaching out to ruffle Lorna’s green curls. She sent him a toothy grin in return.

“I’m sorry about that, she hates when her brother gets more attention,” Charles apologized.

Emma seemed surprised to hear that, but hid her reaction well, “It’s no trouble, kids will be kids,” she said airily even as she and Erik glared subtle daggers at each other.

“Thank you, Ms. Frost, I’ll be sure to give your website a look,” Charles said warmly, apropos of nothing.

“Thank you, I hope to see you soon,” she practically purred to him, pressing close to slink past on the crowded sidewalk. Erik tugged the magnetic field around her ankle and sent her stumbling forwards in her stiletto heels. She shot a murderous look back over her shoulder but he gestured helplessly to Lorna who was leaning against his shoulder, watching her walk away with narrowed eyes.

 _~Was that really necessary, Erik?~_ Charles admonished lightly, leading the way to the store now that their brief interlude was over.

~ _You’ll have to ask Lorna~_ he said cheekily, though from Charles' eye roll he could tell he wasn’t out of the dog house just yet. He followed his boyfriend along the sidewalk, keeping an eye out for pickpockets and muggers. It was broad daylight, but it was also New York City and there was no such thing as being too careful.

Lorna chattered on at length, pointing haphazardly around them and sending mild vibrations through the magnetic field. Erik suspected he was the only one who was aware of it. It was nice, like a secret just for them. He sent out a pulse of his own, chasing and overtaking hers and sending her into a fit of giggles.

He pushed the issue of the female telepath to the back of his mind, intent on enjoying their family outing.

~~

Twenty minutes later Erik was regretting every decision in his life that had lead him to this point. The store was massive and it was flooded with what appeared to be hundreds if not thousands of children. Perhaps they were appearing from the walls.

~ _Don’t you think you’re being a bit dramatic, dear?~_ Charles asked, with a chuckle. There was no point speaking aloud, nothing could be heard over the shrieking.

 _~This is the seventh circle of hell~_ he deadpanned as he kept a strict lock on the metal embedded in the children’s clothes.

 _~Judging from your mood, I’d say it’s the fifth~_ Charles quipped. Erik remained stoically silent, refusing to be charmed. It wasn’t working.

“Vati!!” Lorna screamed, knocking into his leg at a dead run, “Bunny!!”

“Did you choose one, Schatzi?” he knelt to see where she was pointing and lifted her into his arms to go grab the little thing and pick out an outfit and a heart. He supposed it was all worthwhile with the kids enjoying themselves so much.

~ _I’m heading to the restroom, be right back~_ Charles waited for his acknowledgment before heading off. Erik turned to David who was staring wide eyed at the store mascot like he didn’t know what he was seeing.

The mascot stooped and lifted David into his arms; Erik frowned and made his way over. This guy was acting weird. Ignoring all the other kids clamoring for his attention in favor his little man. He was sure places like this had background checks, bit creeps could slip through the cracks and Erik wasn’t having it.

“Excuse me,” he began, but the guy turned smoothly and walked away through the writhing mass of children who parted  like the red sea before closing like a wave behind him.

Erik felt his heart sink, ~ _David! Come here!~_

He peeked his head over the mascots shoulder and waived happily. The guy didn’t stop moving. Crap, this was going to be grounds for a lawsuit, Erik was sure.

_~Charles, David chosen his bear~_

_~That’s great! I’m heading back now, I hate these child height urinals, they make life more complicated than it needs to be~_ Charles mused in his head.

Erik sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose ~ _The bear he has chosen is the store mascot_ ~

_~That’s fine, I’m sure they have several of thos…~_

Erik waited patiently for Charles to finish the thought.

_~Unless you mean? You don’t mean…?!~_

~ _Yes, the wage slave in the bear costume is being held hostage by our son~_ Erik sighed in his mind. He set an excitable Lorna down and had her follow him at close range, she happily chattered at his side, inaudible in the screaming crush, but seeming content nonetheless. They followed David and his escort around the store for the few minutes it took for Charles to hurry back in and catch sight of them.

They waved when he caught sight of them, David cheerily and Erik more resigned. _~A little help here?~_

Charles hurried over and took his son back from the poor confused kid in the costume.

The store manager hurried over with a frown, “What’s going on here, Sean? Sir I apologize, it is not our company policy for our employees to-”

“I’m afraid this is not the young man’s fault, you see…” Charles blushed and began offering an explanation, clutching a pouting David who glared sullenly around himself as though he had been horribly wronged.

Erik felt something shift and glanced around, but nothing seemed amiss. He glanced down at Lorna who was tugging at his jeans and babbling something about clowns. He hoped she didn’t want a clown doll, they creeped him out and he wasn’t ashamed to admit it. That was odd; she’d never shown any preference for clowns.

She was very excited about something though; he felt something shift again and glanced around. Charles was still talking to the now irate store manager and the clearly baffled young man in the bear suit who was currently struggling under the weight of three children trying to climb him.

Erik couldn’t imagine a worse job.

Just then, David caught his eye. He was sitting perfectly still in Charles’ arms, staring past Erik with a look of blank fascination. Erik frowned; there was nothing behind him but a massive wall of bear stuffing. What could be so intriguing about that?

He felt a strong shift and whirled to face his daughter as three things clicked into place in his mind

1.David was fascinated by his and Lorna’s mutation-especially when it was in use,

2\. Those shifts he’d felt had been magnetic, and

3\. Lorna loved _clouds_ , not _clowns_.

He tugged her into his arms via the metal in her clothes just as she would have been buried under the mounds of cotton that poured from the now open display case. The bottom row of screws had been removed.

_**‘Everything is Awesome!**_

_**Everything is cool when you’re part of a team! **_

_**Everything is awesome when you’re living a dream!_ ’**

He hadn’t noticed there was music playing in the store until the screaming stopped dead. Everyone turned to stare at him as he stood clutching his laughing daughter, buried to his hips in cotton as dozens of children came scrambling out of the mess.

David broke the silence with a hiccupped laugh, clapping his hands in delight, “Vai! Agin!!”

“Clouds, Vati!! Cloouuds!!” Lorna grabbed his face in both hands and screamed it at the top of her lungs.

He was sure the look on Charles’ face was a mirror image of his own. It was certainly one he’d never forget.

~~

“I’ve never been banned from somewhere for life,” Charles said distantly as they made their exhausted way back to the car.

“I have, but this is the first time I’m happy about it,” Erik said dryly, not bothering to hide how grateful he was not to be allowed back into that deafening hellscape.

Charles huffed a breath that turned into a chuckle, their eyes met and soon they were falling over each other laughing as they stumbled into the garage where they’d parked the car. The kids joined in as well, though their mood had been high since Lorna dismantled part of the store.

“Dare we go out for lunch or should we head home?” Charles chortled, shifting a wriggling Lorna from one hip to the other. Erik smiled down at his little man who gave him the sweetest, dimpled grin he’d ever seen.

“Let’s do lunch, what’s the worst that could happen?” he asked, lifting his gaze to meet Charles’ head on. That set them off laughing again and it was a long while before the kids were safely strapped back in.

“What indeed,” Charles leaned over the console to kiss him warmly, mind sparkling like champagne bubbles filling Erik’s senses for a second, an eternity.

 _~Let’s find out~_ He took his lovers hand and started driving. Whatever came next, they'd handle it together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! This is for devinokaze who asked for a scene where the kids create chaos! I hope you liked it! I know you wanted a man to hit on Charles and Erik to have feelings about it, but Emma really wanted to be in this chapter! Thank you for the chapter suggestion! 
> 
> Comments? Questions? Chapter suggestions? I know I'm behind on it but we will see the holidays with these guys, don't worry!


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fourth of July! Raven's Baby Shower!!

The Fourth of July fell on a Friday, which worked out very well for the fireworks display and Raven’s baby shower. She and Azazel had moved into the penthouse of one of the many high rises their mothers family had built in Manhattan. Unlike Charles she had no qualms about splashing her wealth around or taking advantage of nepotism.

They’d planned the baby shower in place of a housewarming, and wrapped it all in with a holiday party. “That way we can show off our view and kill two birds with one stone,” Raven had confided in him proudly.

Charles was the first guest to arrive, David in tow. Erik and Lorna were driving since they both loved riding in the car and Lorna was petrified by teleportation.

She’d grown fond of Azazel and absolutely adored Raven, Charles had high hopes that she’d become accustomed to teleporting as she grew older.

“This place is fantastic, Raven. Really amazing, you make me want to look into a fancier place,” Charles admitted as he stopped by the massive floor to ceiling windows that took up an entire wall of the living room to admire the view.

She waddled up to him happily and leaned her had against his shoulder. “You should live across the street! We could wave to each other!” she laughed, but Charles grimaced.

“Trust me, you don’t want that,” he chuckled and ducked as she swatted at him with a disgusted squawk.

“I’d buy you curtains! Curtains that close automatically whenever you and Erik are in the same room!” She threatened.

Charles loved seeing her so happy, but couldn’t resist teasing her just a bit more, “You’d have to!” he ducked again with a yelp.

 **BAMF!** “ZAZA!! AGAIN!!” David laughed heartily as the pair reappeared in the living room.

Azazel had picked them up for the party and been keeping David occupied since then, giving the siblings time to catch up.

“Not just now, David. Soon our other guests will arrive,” Azazel set the boy back on his feet but let him cling to his tail and follow him around the room.

Charles glanced at Raven out of the corner of his eye, hiding a grin at her smitten expression.

“He’s going to be such a great dad,” she said proudly.

“He really is,” Charles agreed. “Are you all set? Only a few more weeks to go.” He helped her over to the sofa to sink down into the plush cushions with a sigh.

“I’m ready to not be pregnant anymore,” she confessed tiredly. “I have no idea how Regina did this, she’s one of the smallest women I know,” she mused.

Charles wholeheartedly agreed, Regina had looked like she was carrying quadruplets when she was heavily pregnant. A thought he’d wisely kept to himself and planned on taking it to his grave.

“She was fine and you’ll be fine,” he soothed her worries with a light brush of his power. “Have you decided on a nanny?” he inquired.

“We talked about it but I’m not interested in one. We should be able to handle his day to day care between the two of us. We have the maids come three days a week already and we take turns cooking. I just don’t think I’d feel comfortable leaving him with a stranger until he can talk,” she confided hesitantly.

 She didn’t mention it, but Charles could see her worry that a nanny might abuse or neglect her child because of his visible mutation. It was clear from the ultrasounds that he had elfin ears and a prehensile tail.

“Even mutants can’t always be trusted to have a child’s best interest at heart,” he agreed. “We only put David into crèche with Lorna, and she never shuts up,” They shared a laugh at the thought of the little chatterbox.

“She’s darling, I was kind of hoping for a girl,” she confessed with a blush.

Charles shrugged, “You’re young, give it time. Maybe you’ll end up with ten kids with tails.” She looked horrified at the thought as she gestured to her distended belly,“ I’m not doing this ten times! I’ll tell you that right now!”

The doorbell rang and Azazel BAMFed through to answer it, David still clinging to his tail, shrieking happily.

“Ah, the caterers have arrived,” they chatted amiably, watching the party set up and eventually putting David down for a nap in the new nursery.

“He can break it in for his little cousin,” Raven bent down to press a kiss to his downy forehead.

“You realize we’re going to have three babies under three in a month don’t you?” Charles asked with a frown.

“It’s three on four, Az would call that good odds,” Raven said nervously.

“But one of them is _David_ , the other is _Lorna_ , and the other is half shape shifter half teleporter,” Charles said dubiously.

 The shared a brief look of concern before Azazel joined them. “Everything is going according to plan; I’ll go get your mother.”

“Alright, and if her gift is too much, just tell her you can’t carry it,” Raven leaned up to press a kiss on his smiling mouth.

He shook his head helplessly, “She can tell when I’m lying. We’ll be back in a moment.” **BAMF.**

Not five minutes later he reappeared with Sharon in tow. She pressed air kisses all around and lovingly stroked David’s hair for a long while before turning back to her children with a slight smile.

She would never be a demonstrative woman, but her heart was in the right place.

“Raven, you look lovely! Your scales are positively gleaming.” She said loftily.

Raven flushed under her praise, she’d always been prickly about compliments from Sharon, “They’re not technically scales, mother.”

“You call them what you wish, darling. I wish I’d looked half so good when I was pregnant. I retained water like an over ripe fruit.” She said frankly before smoothing her hands down her linen trousers and heading out of the nursery to ‘corral the staff.’

Raven sighed and rolled her eyes, some things were better left unsaid.

Charles’ eyes when distant for a moment before he lit up, “Erik is here!”

Raven grinned happily as the stepped out of the nursery, “I can’t wait to show Lorna my walk in closet!”

“I sense a game of ultimate dress up coming on,” Charles said dryly.

“So?” Raven pouted, “girl time is a good time.”

He laughed at her mutinous expression, “I didn’t say it wasn’t, you two have fun. I’ll make sure mother doesn’t hassle to staff overmuch.”

“You’re a lifesaver,” Raven grinned and hurried to the door to greet her biggest fan.

~~

By the time the rest of the guests had arrived, David was alert and ready to play. He and Lorna loved having a room full of new playmates to interact with.

 Charles was happy to visit with his friends from the mutant center that he hadn’t been able to spend much time with in recent months. He was pleased to see Erik chatting with a few other guests, knowing how anti social his boyfriend tended to be.

Raven was happy to be the center of everyone’s attention and made a great show of opening and exclaiming over each of the gifts in the massive pile she’d received.

Sharon, who had made her children extremely nervous by seemingly showing up without a gift, had presented Raven with a small, velvet lined box that contained a tasteful sapphire necklace inlaid with diamonds and set in platinum along with the matching earrings.

 _~She outdoes herself every time~_ Raven projected to her brother begrudgingly. The set was just her taste and style. She thanked Sharon who accepted her hug and a light kiss on the cheek with a certain amount of smugness that Charles privately thought was well deserved.

Charles had gotten Raven and Azazel a year pass to a renowned masseuse, knowing how much Raven loved massages, and remembering how tired and tense he’d been during David’s first few months.

Erik had made the baby an elaborate orbital mobile of different colored metals. It was the first piece of metal art that Charles had ever seen him make and he was enthralled by the process and by the beautiful work Erik had crafted. The metal worker had seriously downplayed his artistic talent when mentioning his artwork.

[http://www.uncommongoods.com/product/planetary-mobile?country=US&aw_cid=418990617&aw_aid=23029474017&aw_dev=c&aw_loc=9028321&aw_key=&aw_mtype=&aw_net=s&aw_ad=89943116937&aw_pos=1o5&aw_shopid=41845&aw_prod_partid=194850160137&gclid=CjwKEAiAyO_BBRDOgM-K8MGWpmYSJACePQ9CerJQkS8WhIopTLASlyHeXvj7a9y9YSPS9Xq83IdrexoCse3w_wcB](http://www.uncommongoods.com/product/planetary-mobile?country=US&aw_cid=418990617&aw_aid=23029474017&aw_dev=c&aw_loc=9028321&aw_key=&aw_mtype=&aw_net=s&aw_ad=89943116937&aw_pos=1o5&aw_shopid=41845&aw_prod_partid=194850160137&gclid=CjwKEAiAyO_BBRDOgM-K8MGWpmYSJACePQ9CerJQkS8WhIopTLASlyHeXvj7a9y9YSPS9Xq83IdrexoCse3w_wcB)

Even Raven was taken aback by the thoughtful elegance of the piece and had pulled Erik into an impromptu hug and demanded Azazel hang it over the crib immediately. He was only too happy to oblige.

“Thank you, my friend. It is a thing of beauty,” the teleporter had grasped Erik’s shoulder tightly before vanishing, presumably to situate his gift in the nursery.

Erik had blushed and taken their thanks with ill concealed discomfort that Charles found helplessly endearing.

After the reveal of his gift, Erik became the center of attention with many of the other guests asking after his mutation, and whether or not he did commissions. Charles had eventually taken pity on him and stepped in to field most of the comments and questions and guide the conversation.

Erik remained glued to his side after that, at least until the fervor over his gift died down.

 _~I should have given it to them in private~_ he thought glumly.

 _~No! Look how happy you made Raven; she still wondered if you’d forgiven her for our falling out. Now she knows~_ Charles protested happily.

 _~If you say so_ ~ he sidled away to speak to Sharon as more of Charles’ friends approached to ask for introductions. He knew it was rude, but he’d just about had his fill of dealing with other people for the time being, and Sharon was about as low key as they came.

Besides, maybe he could get a little payback while Charles was occupied with his friends.

~~

The party was a blast even before the fireworks went off. At which point Lorna fell in love with pyrotechnics.

“I love them too, darling, but we can’t have them every day,” Erik was explaining calmly as Lorna eagerly demanded more even after the forty five minute show complete with an over the top grand finale.

“Why Vati?” she demanded crossly.

“Because, darling. They wouldn’t be special anymore,” he said in an unconvincing tone. Charles shot him a surprised look and he shrugged helplessly.

He’d have been happy to see fireworks every day, the metal filaments still shimmered in the air even an hour after the show had ended. It was wonderful beyond description.

Lorna clearly agreed, she pushed her father away angrily and turned to Charles with a pout, “fireworks, Daddy!”

Sharon burst out laughing when Lorna, request refused by Charles as well, toddled over to her side and clambered onto her lap for comfort. She sulkily tangled her tiny fingers in Sharon’s tasteful pearl necklace and buried her face against her silk blouse.

Charles couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen his mother so happy, or even when they’d all been together recreationally.

Erik rolled his eyes at his daughter’s dramatics and glanced over to see Raven struggling to pull David’s T-shirt back over his head.

He took a beer to his lover and they toasted one another, “It’s nice having help,” he said with a grin, gesturing to an increasingly frustrated Raven.

Charles chuckled at the sight of David’s valiant battle against being decently clothed. “I would offer my assistance, but you’re right. Its good practice for them.”

 _~You’ll find that I’m often right, Charles. You’d do well to listen to me~_ he teased lightly. Charles felt it would be churlish to disagree.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all your support! This is my most popular story by far and I can't get over how many of you are reading it! XOXO I love you all!


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charles and David go on an outing with unexpected results.

Charles thought back to his meeting with his fellow telepath, Emma Frost. She had been a blip on the radar of an otherwise ridiculous day but she’d made him think. Or rather her website had. She was an organizer for Mutants Together and came from old southern money. She’d probably fit in with Sharon’s set without a hitch.

He scrolled through the easy to navigate, understated website she’d directed him to. He’d heard of the organization, but had funneled his time and money into the Mutant Pride Alliance in support of Raven, though he knew some mutants were members of both.

Mutants Together focused on non visible mutations, especially psyonic abilities. Emma had responded to David’s range with enthusiasm. She’d thought that Charles was baseline because of how well he was able to mask his own strength and had been suitably impressed to find he was a telepath was well.

He thought about attending a meeting with David, she’d said there were a few other psyonic families that he might be interested in meeting. It sounded like a good idea, and their organization seemed legitimate. Now how to tell Erik?

His boyfriend was so possessive. It was sweet; he was never controlling and had never tried to stop Charles from following any course of action that struck his fancy. But he hadn’t liked Emma, he’d thought she was flirting and Charles conceded that maybe she had been. He just so rarely met other telepaths, adult or not, that he was always eager to engage with them.

Well, nothing ventured nothing gained.

~~

“Erik, darling?”

“Yes?” he asked, not looking up from some sort of intricate metal puzzle ball Edie had sent a few days prior.

“I’m thinking of taking David to a meeting of Mutants Together,” Charles set his tablet aside and turned to his boyfriend. They were winding down from a long day and had put the children to bed just an hour before.

Erik nodded his acceptance, “that sounds fun. Maybe he can play with some other telepaths.”

Charles hid a smile; of course Erik had looked into Mutants Together. He was so invested in civil rights. “There's a meeting tomorrow night; I want to head over after dinner.”

“Okay, let me know how it goes, unless you want us to come along?”

“No, no. its fine. I just thought you should know that I was invited by Emma”

He watched as Erik’s face flickered from thoughtfulness to confusion to comprehension. “The blonde from the other day?”

“Yes, she’s one of their representatives, like Raven is for the MPA.”

Erik’s frown deepened. “She’s into you.”

“If that’s true she’s bound for disappointment,” he reminded his boyfriend gently.

“I know, Charles, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

Charles pulled him over to rest against his chest, “I don’t like you working with a beautiful woman who has a crush on you but I deal with that every day.”

Erik tilted his head to look up at him, “You mean Angel? She’s a kid with a crush,” he said dismissively.

“She’d only a year younger than me,” Charles said dryly.

“You’re leagues apart in maturity,” Erik insisted with a huff.

“Well Emma isn’t my type and even if she was, I’m with you,” he said sweetly sending a pulse of _love/warmth/comfort_ to his lover.

Erik sighed and curled against his side, kissing his way down Charles’ belly, intent on staking his claim _~I know, I know~_

Charles chuckled at his surliness, secretly loving his possessiveness. He wouldn’t encourage it, but he could certainly enjoy the returns.

~~

The next night he and David left Erik and Lorna to their own devices which appeared to be dress up tea party with a small metallic set Erik had crafted for his darling girl. She was having a blast rattling her new toys around while hopping up and down as Erik tried to zip her into one of the many tiny frocks Raven had procured for the little girl.

“Your sister is going to want a daughter. Mark my words,” Erik said gravely as though it was a dire warning.

Charles simply rolled his eyes, “I’ll keep that in mind,”

“Bye daddy, bye Dabie!” Lorna cheered, giggling through the smacking kisses Charles planted on each of her cheeks.

David waved happily and squeaked a laugh, “No! Vati!”

“Alright, alright,” Erik grumbled and playfully pushed them out the door. “Have fun; see you when you get back.”

“Vati!!”

_~See you later darling, we won’t be late~_

_~I’ll wait up~_ Erik said with a soft smile.

~~

Something was off about this meeting but Charles couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Everyone was very welcoming and very nice. David was having a good time; Charles could see him through the glass wall that separated the play room from the seating area he and the other adults were mingling in.

It was nice to see his son playing silent games with other children who understood him and two teenage sitters who looked alternately charmed and bored by the kids’ antics.

~ _So, Charles. Emma tells us your David caught her attention as she was walking by~_ Christine, a middle aged empathy projected smoothly.

 _~Yes, he’s very powerful_ ~ Charles carefully agreed.

 _~He must get it from somewhere~_ Daniel, a low level telekinetic in his mid thirties said with a wry grin.

Charles was keeping his telepathy close, twinned with the net the group was using to communicate, but not showing anywhere near his full abilities. It was awkward to be the most powerful in a group. He easily outstripped them all in raw power.

He felt keenly for Jean, a little girl he’d met earlier whose telekinesis was going to be at least as powerful as Erik’s metallokenisies. Being an omega level mutant was never easy and it was nice having Erik and now Azazel who understood what it was to have world changing abilities. Perhaps David and Jean could have each other to lean on as they developed. It was a nice thought.

~ _His mother is a mutant as well~_ he told his captive audience, trying to suss out what they were really asking without delving into their minds.

_~Psyonic?~_

_~Physical, she has super strength~_

“Ah.” An oddly sound dismissive from the assembly.

Charles frowned _~Is something the matter?~_

A few members exchanged brief glances with one another before Emma spoke up _~It’s just that it’s so **rare** for us to find functional relationships between  a psyonic and a non psyonic~_ she said with a gleam in her eye.

His heart sank; Erik had definitely had her number going by the way she was eyeing him flirtatiously over the rim of her wineglass.

He gave an exaggerated grimace to light laughter ~ _I know what you mean; I’ve had some trouble with that in the past. I’m actually not with David’s mother anymore~_

 _~Of course you’ve had trouble, we all have~_ Jeremy, a fellow telepath in his forties projected sympathetically.

It felt nice to be accepted and understood, this was the largest gathering of telepaths he’d ever been to but the subtext flowing around him had him on edge.

~ _What about your daughter, I’d hoped to see her tonight.~_ Emma said with a slight twist to her mouth ~ _She’s quite strong as well, must run in the family_ ~

Charles was exclaimed over for a moment and asked after the kids and their ages before things settled down again.

He was treading on thin ice, very nearly ready to look into the minds of his fellow attendees and find what they were getting at.

 _~No, it’s just me and David tonight, Lorna is at home with her father. My boyfriend~_ he slipped in eager to get his point across that he was taken. A shiver of _pity/disappointment_ flickered through him so quickly he thought he might have imagined it had he not seen the matching looks on the others faces.

More glances exchanged. Psyonics were statistically more likely to be bi sexual, having a tendency to fall in love with mental traits over physical charateristics. So the new tension in the room was unlikely to be based on his relationship with another man.

 _~And is he a mutant too?~_ Andrew, a telepath around Charles’ age asked earnestly.

~ _Yes, he’s metallokinetic, Lorna inherited it, as Emma discovered the other day~_ he joked to more light laughter that still hid an undercurrent of secrecy.

Emma finished her wine and poured herself another glass with a purposeful air. ~ _I had wondered who he was to you, Charles I should have known from those **impressive** mental shields he keeps up~_ her tone  was walking the line of snide. He bristled infinitesimally at the slight on his relationship.

 _~I’m not sure I catch your meaning~_ he said, not smiling as he set his glass down and declined another refill.

~ _Don’t be so defensive, Charles. Emma’s only joking~_ Janine, a rather strong telekinetic chimed in with a soft laugh that a few others joined in before the conversation shifted to a trip they had planned for the kids to the natural history museum.

An unpleasant picture was forming in his mind as he watched them all interact and dodged Emma’s eye contact for the next few minutes.

He finally caught a break when a tall, striking, young woman with bright red hair walked in with a tense smile painted on her full lips, “Good evening,” she said briskly.

Charles felt a wave of _irritation/jealousy/disgust_ roll through the mental link binding their surface thoughts. If he’d been standing it would have sent him reeling.

“Hello Mrs. Grey, here to collect Jean?” Emma asked coolly, speaking for the group of twenty, most of whom hadn’t turned to look at her when she entered.

“Yes,” Mrs. Grey said absently, continuing through to the playroom where Jean ran to her mother, red pigtails trialing her like banners. David tumbled after his new found friend and got a pat in his head for his troubles.

Charles skimmed her mind, impressed with her mental shields, she was baseline but had some of the best shields he’d ever seen, they were oddly familiar in their makeup but he couldn’t pinpoint why.

A rumble of discontent flickered throughout the mental net but Charles didn’t have time to sort out their issue since David and Jean threw a simultaneous fit over being separated.

He rushed into the scene of flying plush toys a building blocks and caretakers frozen in their place and unable to help. He threw a mental blanket over both kids, shutting their powers down momentarily before scooping a distraught David into his arms as Mrs. Gray did the same to Jean.

~ _Thank you so much! It’s always so hard to calm her down when she gets going~_ she gave a tired sigh.

 _~I’m Elaine~_ she said with a sweet smile.

 _~Charles Xavier~_ he said with a grin, stepping closer to her so Jean and David could link hands. ~ _This may be presumptuous but how would you feel about setting up a play date?~_

She chuckled down at the kids _~It certainly seems the thing to do doesn’t it?~_

They exchanged information quickly and finally got the kids to say goodbye.

~ _Charles, will you be rejoining us~_ Emma asked rather frostily. Elaine didn’t react and he realized she hadn’t been addressed at all. His blood ran cold.

The feeling coming off the group was rank, like the overwhelming odor of sour milk and it was giving Charles a headache. David was whimpering as well and Jean hid her face against her mother’s neck sadly. Charles instinctively shielded them both and felt them relax instantly.

Elaine made her goodbyes and left as quickly as she had arrived. He watched her exit with some concern; she left like she was escaping the place.

 _~Actually I have an early morning. We’re going to head out. But thank you for having us~_ He made his excuses over the next few minutes and collected David’s things as quickly as he could, eschewing to say when or if he’d return. He felt Emma’s eyes on him-hot and hungry- all the way out the door.

He was greatly relieved to find Elaine out front attempting to flag down a cab

 _~Elaine~_ he caught her attention and made his way over to her side, Jean and David perked up at the sight of each other and linked hands again, creating a small mental net that Charles stabilized for them to play around with.

 _~We meet again!~_ she said with a grimace acting as a smile _~Do you want to cancel our play date?~_

 _~What? No, why do you ask?~_ Charles was flummoxed by her sudden turn around.

She blushed prettily and avoided his searching look _~I thought they may have put you off me in there~_

_~Why?~_

_~John and I are baseline, they’re a bit…separatist about things like that~_ she hedged.

Charles frowned as things suddenly clicked into place ~ _My_ _parents are baseline, it’s not an uncommon occurrence~_

 _~Oh, I know and I don’t approve of their stance but we just want Jean to have some kids like her around. I don’t want her to feel isolated~_ she said helplessly.

 _~Well she won’t need to worry about that with David and Lorna around~_ he took a moment to tell her about Lorna and discovered that Jean was just a few months older than the other girl.

 _~Magnetic fields? You’re going to have your hands full with those two~_ she gave a commiserative chuckle.

 _~Tell me about it~_ he laughed and told her about their trip to the Build-A-Bear workshop that soon had her laughing along. They chatted for a few minutes more before she sobered a bit and gave him a considering look, “actually, if you have a moment I could tell you a few things.”

“Please do,” he was more than ready to get to the bottom of this mystery.

~~

Charles crept back into the apartment quietly, unable to believe it was just half past ten. It had been a strange night that felt like it had lasted far longer than a few hours. David had fallen asleep in the cab and was a limp weight in his arms.

“Hey, there you are,” Erik said softly, rising from the sofa to greet them with a small kiss. “He’s worn out huh? Lorna is going to be very clingy for the next little while she wanted daddy to read her story, apparently I’m not good enough anymore,” he chuckled softly at the memory of his beloved girl.

Charles smiled and pulled him down into a slightly longer than perfunctory kiss. “What wrong?” Erik asked, pulling away in concern.

Charles simply shook his head and went through the motions of changing David and putting him to bed, mind whirring about the revelations of the evening.

He got ready for bed and went in to find Erik waiting for him.

 _~Ready to talk or do you need more time?~_ he asked, mind buzzing with concern

Charles sighed “Apparently Mutants Together is a barely concealed supremacist organization. They think psyonic mutants should separate out from humans and other mutants. They want to take psy children way from non psy parents to be raised in _“our culture”_ whatever that is.”

“They do **_not_** approve of mixed relationships. Apparently if you stay for long enough they have an _intervention_ if you’re with a non psy partner and try to convince you they’ll never love you.” He began pacing, running his fingers through his hair in agitation.

“I knew something was off all night, but then a woman I met, you’ll meet her. We set up a play date. She told me about what goes on. About the vaguely worded bills they’re drafting to start getting psy kids removed from non psy homes.” Erik made a distressed sound at the back of his throat upon hearing that.

 “It’s like a regression. Back when mutants were taken away and put into separate schools ‘ _for their own safety’.”_ He huffed and sank down onto the edge of the bed with a defeated sigh.

Erik had listened to him without interrupting, frown growing deeper with each revelation, “I hate to think how you might have felt if you were alone when you met them.” He said after a long, contemplative silence.

The thought jolted Charles. Had he met Emma after his breakup with Regina and his falling out with Raven he would have been very vulnerable to what they were pushing. He’d have been desperate for acceptance like he’d received from his fellow attendees earlier.

“I read them; it was easy enough from outside the building. Elaine was telling the truth. Oh, and you were right about Emma,” he said absently. “She’s _definitely_ into me. In her mind she already has us married with little telepaths running around.”

“I knew it” Erik’s mind glowed with vindication and other things.

Charles gave a sad laugh, “Don’t be unkind, Erik.”

“I’m never unkind,” he said staunchly.

Charles raised an eyebrow at that.

“I’m never unkind _to you_ ,” he amended after a moment.

“That’s better love, honesty is the best policy you know.” He let Erik pull him into a cuddle and sighed into his shoulder.

“So what are you going to do?” Erik asked into the quiet.

“I think this proves that the MPA needs to do more psyonic outreach. I’ll talk to Raven about it. I don’t like to think of all the psy kids out there growing up thinking they’re alone or that they’ll never be accepted by society.”

“We’ll figure something out, Charles. At least we know what the problem is now,” Erik soothed.

They talked for a bit more before falling asleep. Charles was on the cusp of drifting off when he realized why Elaine’s shields had seemed so familiar. He felt like a fool for not realizing but in all fairness he rarely noticed other people's shields since most people simply didn't have them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! A bit of a sadder chapter, but the baby will be born soon! What did you think of Mutants Together? Do you know why Elaine's shields seemed so familiar to Charles? Love it or hate it, let me know! XOXO!!


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Little Kurt Arrives!

Raven was not panicking. She glanced at the clock. It had been ten minutes since her last contraction-what she _thought_ was a contraction. They were irregular, perhaps it was Braxton-Hicks. Maybe it was false labor. She waited two more minutes before relaxing. Nothing.

She breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s fine if you want to stay a bit longer,” she told her bump as the baby rolled around excitedly. She was eager to meet him, but was terrified of labor and delivery. What if something went wrong? What if the baby wasn’t alright? She’d lived her life as usual until she’d found out she was pregnant which had meant wine and an occasional edible. What if she’d damaged her baby by not paying attention to her body? She’d never forgive herself.

 _~Raven, are you alright?~_ Came Charles’ concerned voice on the edge of her consciousness. She trembled with relief just before another tremor wracked her body, leaving her breathing heavily and leaning against the kitchen counter.

“I’m fine, Charles. Your nephew might be making his entrance within the next few hours,” she said aloud, knowing he could hear her.

 _~ **Might** be?~_ she could just picture the little frown between his eyebrows. He always liked things to be so precise. She told him as much.

 _~Well, it comes in handy in the lab~_ he said primly _~ Are you alright?~_

She was feeling much better since the spasm had passed, “I’m fine, Charles. Why do you ask?”

~ _I felt you panic a few minutes ago and the feeling didn’t fade. I was worried~_ Charles said tensely.

She felt bad for his discomfort. Once they’d had a moment to reconcile themselves, they’d had a serious talk about their relationship and his telepathy. He’d explained that he could recognize her mind out of millions based on his familiarity with her consciousness. She used to think he was always watching her, but now she knew that it was as though she’d called out in a crowd and he’d turned towards her voice.

She still felt immeasurably guilty over her role in his self loathing. She hated that she’d pushed him away over a fundamental part of himself. To think she’d very nearly been the kind of sister Mutants Together had warned him about. She never would have forgiven herself if her loving, charming brother had become a separatist and withdrawn from society.

She still felt an instinctive distrust for telepathy as she was a naturally private person, but she was working on it. At least when it came to Charles. He’d earned her trust.

 _~It’s fine, Charles. Thanks for checking in~_ and she meant it. It was nice not to feel alone. She felt him relax at her words.

 _~No problem, dear. Are you having contractions?~_ he asked gently.

Hearing the words in her mind suddenly made it all real. She was having contractions. She’d started labor. She was going to have a baby.

“Charles?”

_~Yes?~_

“Stay with me?” she asked plaintively.

She felt a wave _of love/happiness/affection_ lap over the edges of her mind. ~ _Of course, Raven~_

~~

The hours passed slowly and with time her contractions starting coming at regular intervals. Charles had kept tabs on her from work and checked in with her regularly or when she called to him. It was nice. She felt close to him in a way she hadn’t since puberty when his powers took a massive leap and suddenly he always knew what everyone was thinking and feeling all the time.

It had been overwhelming for him and terrifying for her. She hated the idea of having her innermost thoughts and feelings known and had begun to pull away.

“Charles?”

 _~Yes, Raven?~_ he answered immediately. It was late in the evening and he’d been home for a few hours dealing with the kids and a mercurial Erik, but he always had time for her.

“Az and I are heading to the hospital.” She said breathily. Equal parts nervous and excited.

“Da. I will come for you when the time is right.” Azazel added, fairly bristling with tension.

~ _Good luck to both of you. I’m here if you need me~_ Raven felt the impression of a kiss pressed against her temple for a timeless moment before their lavish living room vanished and they reappeared at the sign in desk at the maternity ward. Startling a nurse into dropping her charts with a yelp.

Raven slanted her boyfriend a sharp look, he was usually more careful about where they appeared. He must be more anxious than he was letting on.

“Raven, Darkholme checking in,” she finished the sentence as another contraction hit-right on time.

Two nurses fluttered to her side, settling her in a wheelchair and leading them into a private birthing room. She’d been to the same birthing center for all of her prenatal appointments so they were aware of her birth plan and medical information.

Azazel looked pinched and uncomfortable as he paced about like a giant cat, tail flicking irritably behind him. He hated hospitals, but she hadn’t felt comfortable with the idea of a home birth. He was being a good sport about it.

Her contractions were now three minutes apart, she was kneeling on the bed groaning into the sheets in agony. And suddenly she wanted- “My mother! Az! I want my mother!” she demanded, eyes wide and certain.

He gave her a startled look, he’d been the one to suggest inviting Sharon but Raven had declined. “its not her scene, Az. She wouldn’t know what to do with herself.” But now her presence was all Raven wanted.

“If you’re sure?” he asked once more before her _shut up and go_ look had him vanishing and startling the nurses, the midwife, and the doula.

“Oh, my he is the dramatic type, isn’t he honey?” one of them murmured to her sympathetically.

“You don’t know the half of it,” she groaned.

It was only a matter of minutes later that Az was reappearing with Sharon. Mother and daughter blinked at each other in surprise. Sharon was stunned that Raven had wanted her present at all. Raven was shocked that her mother had shown up in a silk nightie with matching dressing gown and bespoke slippers. She’d never seen her dressed so comfortably out of her own suite of rooms at the mansion.

“Mother?” she grimaced, touched that she hadn’t even taken the time to dress before coming to her side.

“Raven,” she looked so relieved to see her alive and well- even half naked with her bum in the air -that she managed a small laugh.

“I’m sorry to scare you, mother. I just suddenly wanted you here.” She pushed herself into a seated position; knees spread, and gown falling to cover her more modestly.

“And you shall have whatever you like my darling girl,” She said imperiously, climbing up onto the bed next to her to run her fingers through her short, red hair comfortingly.

Raven leaned into the touch with a sigh, Sharon had never been overly maternal, but she’d always been there to comfort her when nightmares of her real parents arose. She’d spent many a night curled in bed next to Sharon or Charles after she’d been adopted; neither of them had ever turned her away.

“Thank you for coming,” she said so softly only her mother could hear.

“Thank you for having me,” she said sincerely, clutching her hand like a lifeline.

The next contraction was brutal in its intensity and left her panting with exertion. “Looks like you got here just in time, grandma” the midwife said with a warm smile.

“So it would seem,” Sharon said with a half smile that hid the pure joy blooming in her heart. She squeezed her daughters hand tightly and let her lean against her chest as though she was a child again. Azazel was recording and murmuring a steady stream of encouragement from the other side of the bed, nearly lashing one of the nurses with his tail barb when she passed too close behind him.

She’d made it right on time.

~~

Kurt was the most adorable baby who had ever been born, though Raven could admit that she might be a bit biased.

He was dark blue, even darker than her and had her skin patterns but without the mobility. He had a shock of pitch black hair and black pupils with bright yellow iris. Azazel wascradling him and murmuring to him in Russian. Kurt blinked up at him slowly, tiny tail wrapped around his father’s wrist securely.

Raven had been checked over and given a clean bill of health, now she was reclining in the double bed watching her little family get to know one another. Sharon snapped out of her blank look from her place at Raven’s side. “Charles will be by in the morning to see you,” she said with a small smile.

Raven envied her comfort with telepathy, but said nothing of it. “I can’t wait for him to meet Kurt. The kids are going to lose it over him,” she said with a yawn.

“Get some rest, darling. I’ll be right here when you wake,” Sharon said, patting her hand lightly.

Sharon felt the presence of Charles in her mind, tracking the moment without intruding upon it. Surrounded by her kids, and finally developing a closer relationship with them was the finest moment of her life. For the first time since Brian died, she felt complete.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! The baby is here! I hope you liked the chapter! Please let me know of any comments, questions, or scene requests you have in the comments below! Thanks so much for reading!


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kurt meets his cousins! Erik has feelings!

Erik was chomping at the bit to meet little Kurt and see how Raven and Azazel were handling parenthood.

It had been a few days since their discharge from the hospital; Charles had gone to spend time with his family the day after Raven gave birth. He was relieved to say that she was well and healthy and had given birth to a lovely little boy.

He’d shown Erik his memories of holding his nephew for the first time and how Raven had teased him for choking up.

Erik laughed at the sweet memory as well, heart warmed by his boyfriends’ tender spirit. He’d stopped laughing once Charles pointed out that sooner or later he’d be holding Ruthie’s baby for the first time. The thought rankled.

“She’s a grown woman, Erik,” Charles sighed, exasperated.

“I know,” he agreed begrudgingly. But she was still his baby sister.

~ _Believe me, I know. It takes some getting used to~_

Erik sighed his agreement and ran his fingers lovingly through Charles’ hair as they relaxed on the couch.

_~So when are we taking the kids to meet their cousin?~_

_~I told Raven a week. I remember how moody Regina was the first few days after giving birth. I just don’t want her to feel overwhelmed~_ Charles confessed cagily. Not wanting to recall Regina’s irritable “pump and dump" schedule for breastfeeding so she could still drink regularly.

 _~Sounds good. Lorna’s mother handled it all very well. But she’s a very even keeled woman~_ Erik projected fondly.

 _~Seems like it~_ Charles agreed, wondering how she could have given up her baby. He knew he didn’t have the strength to do the same.

~~

Erik pressed the button to the pent house level  and kept a close watch on Lorna so she couldn’t mess around with the mechanics of the machine. She was very excited about seeing Raven and meeting the baby. David was too, but to a lesser extent, though they had both been asking about babies nonstop since he’d brought Kurt up the day before. He was regretting that choice.

“Daddy? Baby?” David asked, blinking up at them with wide blue eyes.

“Baby! Baby Vati! I want to see the baby!” Lorna chanted eagerly hopping in place.

Charles huffed a laugh at their silliness and herded them out of the elevator and towards Raven’s apartment.

 _~Alright, we’re going to meet your cousin now. We have to be quiet and gentle because he’s very small~_ Charles reminded them gently. _~Can you do that for me?~_

“Yes daddy!” Lorna yelled then dropped her voice to a whisper “Yes daddy,” she repeated solemnly.

David projected a wave of _excitement/agreement/mild confusion_.

“I’ll take what I can get,” Charles muttered playfully under his breath as Erik rang the doorbell.

After a moment, Azazel opened the door in a stained t-shirt and jeans, looking tired but pleased to see them.

“Ah, our guests have arrived.” He stumbled back as David wrapped himself around one of his legs with a muffled cry of “Azazaaa!!”

“Hi Unca Zazol,” Lorna said primly, giving him a bright grin.

“Hello, dear. Would you like to see your aunt Raven?” he asked with a sharp toothed grin.

“The kids nodded eagerly, staying very quiet-for them- as they toddled along behind Azazel into the nursery.

“Are you shushing them?” Erik asked softly

“I’m keeping them from getting too excited. I’d like to enjoy our visit and not make Kurt cry if at all possible,” Charles confessed sotto voce.

“I we can make it through the day without anyone crying, I’ll cry tears of joy,” Erik deadpanned. Causing Charles to crack up.

Azazel gave them an inquisitive look over his shoulder as he stopped the kids at the door to the nursery. “Raven, our guests are here,” he called through the crack in the door.

“Everyone come in!” Raven called out eagerly. Pride and joy beaming from her mind, she loved nothing more than showing off her beautiful boy.

Erik pushed the door open to see her sitting in a rocking chair in yoga gear, a white swaddled baby cradled in her arms. He broke into a wide grin at the sight.

“David, Lorna, come see your cousin,” She said in a soft voice. The kids crept forwards cautiously, peeking over the arm of the chair to get a glimpse of his face.

“Baby, Vati?” David asked, projecting excitement.

“Yes, baarchen, this is Kurt. Your aunt's son.”

“Anne Raben, baby!” Lorna whispered, fascinated.

Charles broke into a smile and Erik noticed that he was filming it all on his phone. Raven stood and let Erik lift Lorna into the seat and place a pillow across her lap.

“Hold your arms down like this,” he said with a grin, urging her to sit still as she bounced in excitement.

“Here you go,” Raven knelt and laid Kurt across her lap, keeping one hand under his head as support.

“Oh,” Lorna gazed down at him with wide eyed wonder. “Baby.”

“His name is Kurt, can you say that Lorna? Can you say Kurt?” She blinked up at Raven then back at the baby silently.

“Can you say hi to your cousin, Kurt?” Erik asked softly, running his hand through her thick curls.

 “Kuwt?”

“Awww,” they all crooned in unison at her mispronunciation.

“Yes, exactly, Lorna,” Raven beamed with pride and giving her a smacking kiss on the cheek.

They settled David in next and coaxed him into kissing Kurt’s forehead and giving him a hug. He seemed reluctant to talk, and Charles didn’t like to push him to be verbal.

“They love him,” Azazel looked relieved. Erik shared the feeling and could only imagine how poorly this could have gone.

Raven stood from her palace kneeling on the floor she turned to him eagerly and carefully handed him the swaddled bundle. He tucked the baby into the crook of his arm and gently unwrapped him to reveal a tiny black onesie with little silver crescent moons printed all over it. It even had a little slit that left his tail free. It was the sweetest thing Erik had ever seen.

Kurt came to him easily and didn’t fuss as Erik stroked his dark, silky hair. Erik couldn't get over how tiny he was. It was so easy to forget they came that small. He squeaked adorably when Erik lightly tugged his tail. He curled in towards his chest, wrapping his tail around himself comfortingly, like a little squirrel.

 _~And another nickname is born~_ Charles projected playfully.

Erik was too enamored of the little blue boy to object to his teasing.

“You two did well for yourselves, for a first effort at least,” he jibbed playfully as Kurt gummed the tip of his tail.

“Yeah, he’s pretty perfect,” Raven said proudly.

“Here,” Azazel settled on the floor and gestured for Erik to hand him his son.

The red man cradled him close and whispered softly to him and Lorna who was eagerly fascinated by the tiny boy.

“He has a tail!” she yelped happily, tumbling backwards with a giggle when the aforementioned tail twitched at her words.

Erik looked up from the adorable display to see David cradled in Charles’ lap where he’d sat to get a better angle on his phone. He grinned to see David’s interest in the video taking place on the phone. The two were clearly having a silent conversation that had David actively intrigued.

His heart felt full to bursting at the sight of his little family. He felt a pang of remorse at how big the kids were getting, soon they wouldn’t be babies anymore. Holding little Kurt had made him remember just how tiny Lorna had been when she was first born. Even his little baarchen was nearly two.

Charles looked up at him in concern as he caught his introspective mood. He shook his head, _~later~_ not wanting to ruin the moment.

Raven sidled up to him with a soft look. “You should know that Kurt _loves_ his mobile. Well I think he does. Az thinks he just likes the motion, but he loves it. I can tell,” she whispered conspiratorially.

He gave her a small smile, remembering Lorna’s first days when her every move was fascinating. “How is he sleeping? Does he have a regular schedule?” he asked, setting her off on her new favorite topic.

He settled in for a long talk about the newest addition to their lives.

~~

“Are you alright?” Charles asked that evening as Erik was preparing dinner. They’d spent a long while at Raven’s, putting the kids down for their nap there. Charles had even made a fumbling mess of learning to change Kurt’s specialty diaper.

“He keeps moving his tail!” he’d protested Raven’s giggles at the sight of his struggles. Kurt was a preternaturally still and watchful baby, he’d have been easy to dress-especially compared to David- if not for his tail which seemed to have a mind of its own.

“You have to think two steps ahead of his tail,” She advised sagely.

“What does that even mean?” Charles demanded, trying to unloop his nephew’s tail from around his palm. If he didn’t know better he’d think it was a game to the baby. He was certainly enjoying himself, projecting a clear sense of playful amusement.

“That means he likes you!” she crooned excitedly at the sight. He swallowed a laugh at her certainty that Kurt was making deep judgments about his surroundings.

“That’s good, because I like him too,” was all he’d said. “But seriously please help! You’re never leaving him alone with me if I don’t know how to clean his messes.” Charles warned direly.

Raven only laughed more, catching her son’s attention with the bright sound, “Az can’t wait. He wants payback for bath time with David and Lorna.”

“I still don’t understand why he needed a haircut after that,” Charles asked with a slight frown.

“We don’t talk about it,” Az cut in, coming back onto the nursery to see what was keeping them. Much to Charles’ disappointment he also refused to help him wrangle Kurt’s stubborn tail. “You have to work _with_ his tail,” was all he said before grabbing some stuffed toy or another and making his way back to the den where he and Erik were playing with the toddlers.

Charles resigned himself to getting peed on every time it fell to him to change Kurt. ~ _You’re lucky you’re so cute~_ He projected to the baby getting a slow, golden eyed blink in return _~Yes, exactly that~_

~~

“Erik?” Charles’ concerned question brought him back into the moment from his thoughts of Kurt and the memories they’d brought up of a newborn Lorna. “Are you alright?”

He hesitated and took a moment to wash his hands, trying to think of the easiest way to share what was on his mind, “Charles…”

“Yes?”

“I want another baby.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Baby cuteness! I'm taking suggestions for baby costumes for the upcoming Halloween Chapter! so let me know what you think!


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charles and Erik have birthdays! Extended family conversations! How does Charles feel about Erik's announcement?

“But…we didn’t make it through the day without crying,” was all he could come up with.

Erik looked less than impressed, “Was that something you were legitimately hoping for?” he asked dryly. His question punctuated with a sharp screech from the next room.

Charles closed his eyes and sighed, “No, not really. I never hope for that. But soon maybe? I mean the kids are getting older. Bringing in another baby will just add more tears and drama, right?” he gave a half hearted chuckle.

Erik frowned.

“I’m not saying no,” Charles hurried to say. “I’m just surprised. You caught me off guard.”

“I’m sorry; it’s been on my mind for a while. I thought you might be thinking the same…” he said carefully.

“Honestly, I wasn’t so just give me some time to think about it. This is a big decision,” he said softly, looking up at Erik with worried eyes.

The taller man pursed his lips and gave a brief nod, “Alright. Take all the time you need.”

But, as they went to wrangle the kids for dinner, Charles couldn’t help but wonder if he meant it.

~~

Charles sat at his desk trying to work but unable to concentrate. In the days since Erik’s big announcement he had been quietly stunned. Another baby? Now?

 In a lot of ways it made good sense. The kids would be close in age and able to bond quickly, he and Erik would still be in the flow of dealing with baby issues like diapers and midnight awakenings. But it seemed like such a big step.

He _knew_ he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Erik, and he _knew_ Erik wanted more kids. Charles sighed, hating himself for his indecision. He had no issue with having more kids; in fact he thought he might like having lots of little ones running around underfoot. That wasn’t the problem. It was the idea of forever.

Erik talked about forever all the time but he hadn’t mentioned marriage since their first real talk about feelings when they finally got together.

He knew that marriage wasn’t the promise of forever it once had been, but to his way of thinking it was. He wanted what his mother and father had shared. There was no doubt in his mind that had his father lived his parents would still be together.

At the same time, the exact opposite was true of Erik’s parents and he still had serious moments of self doubt from time to time. Perhaps getting engaged would feel suffocating to him.

He’d considered asking Erik, but the thought of the other man rejecting him made him physically ill. He’d gone back and forth in his head over the issue, withdrawing from Erik more than ever before.

Charles knew he was hurting them, perhaps beyond repair. But he didn’t know how to broach the subject without seeming like he was pressuring Erik to propose.  He slumped back in his seat with a frown. He felt another headache coming on and he only had himself to blame.

~~

Erik was cursing the day he was born, not out loud of course because he was on Skype with his mother and it was the anniversary of the day. She was gushing over the fact that he was _thirty_ and hadn’t he been the sweetest baby? And oh she didn’t mind 18 hours of labor for _one moment_. And she wished she could be with him to give him his birthday kisses. One for every year he’d been alive.

 He was a grown man with a child of his own and she treated him like he was Lorna’s age. He blushed furiously at her words, happy that Charles had taken David to the mansion to visit his mother and couldn’t hear this to tease him about later.

It was just over a month since Kurt’s birth and Charles and Erik’s birthdays had finally arrived. By happy coincidence they fell on the 14th and 15th of September. They were planning a midnight celebration for later, but today was the day for the women who’d brought them into the world to gush over them. Or give insanely expensive gifts and air kisses, which Erik supposed was a way of gushing, if you were Sharon Xavier.

“Erik? Liebchen?” Edie finally paused for breath and noticed his distraction.

“Yes, mama, I’m listening. I miss you too. Yes, I have a moment to talk to Ruthie,” he tried not to seem distracted by his adorable family, but he couldn’t help it. Charles had been quiet about the issue of having another baby since he brought it up.

In fact, his boyfriend had been quiet in general since that night.

It was awful to think that he’d scared Charles away. They’ discussed having more kids though always in the abstract and Charles had seemed open to the idea. But what if he wasn’t? What if spending time with Kurt had had the opposite effect on his boyfriend and he didn’t know how to let Erik know?

He’d assured him that everything was fine and they’d continued life as usual, working, taking care of the kids, making love, and having lovers’ spats. It was all as it had been, but something was wrong and Charles wouldn’t let on what it was. The niggling doubt about his boyfriends distance had grown into a big issue in his mind.

“Happy Birthday Erik!” Ruth leaned in to give the camera an exaggerated air kiss. Erik rolled his eyes at her playfulness.

“Thank you, Ruth. I take it you’re eating enough cake for the both of us?” he asked dryly.

“What else am I supposed to do? You know mama makes you favorite whether you’re here or not,” she said dismissively.

Erik did know.

“So what are your plans? What did you get Charles?” she asked like the nosey little thing she was.

He glanced around like his boyfriend wasn’t busy in Westchester having a stilted conversation with his mother. “I made him a sculpture. No you can’t see it before he does,” he cutoff her question before she could ask it.

She gave him a hard look that had him holding his breath. She could always tell when he was lying, even better than their mother could. He attributed it to her stalking him when she was a little girl.

“Alright, tell me about Lorna, is she home? Can I see her?” Ruth smoothly changed the subject.

He took the out, though he knew he wasn’t off the hook just yet. “Yes, she’s napping; Give me a moment, and call mama back; it’s time for her to get up anyway.”

He’d scheduled the call just so, intentionally wanting to foist the brunt of their attention into his little drama queen so he could stew in this worry over his relationship with Charles.

In reality he’d made Charles a ring, simple and solid, part of a matched set. It had taken him ages to find the metals he wanted to use and to blend them and perfect the rings. Now he wondered if he was moving too fast.

 If this would be the thing that drove Charles away for good. Perhaps he should wait to propose until they were on more solid ground. He made his way to Lorna’s room with a heavy heart.

~~

“You seem distracted today, even for you.” Sharon said mildly as she stirred cream into her tea.

Charles didn’t know what she meant by that and wasn’t inclined to ask, “I’m sorry, mother. I’m listening.”

“Well I wasn’t saying anything,” she said with a slight lift to one delicately arched eyebrow. She pinned him with a hard eyed gaze that still made him shiver. He wondered when parents gained the ability to do that. David and Lorna still ran roughshod over him and Erik like they’d never been scolded in their lives.

“Did I tell you I’ve begun a new avenue of research into telepathy manifesting in baseline families?” he asked out of the blue, hoping against hope that she would take the bait and let his uncustomary silence slide.

She narrowed her eyes slightly and he could feel the shift of her mind as she was tugged in two directions, but which path would she take? He relaxed as he felt her settle on one, ~ _Well it **is** his birthday, I suppose I can let him off the hook~_

“What about it? And why are you telling me if it’s just getting started?”

He smiled at her sharp questions; she always cut to the chase with perfect precision, “I’m telling you because I need your help-not monetary.” he cut in as he saw the question (and affirmative answer) forming in her mind. She soundlessly set her tea cup back onto its matching saucer with a quizzical look.

“You actually inspired this question in my mind and I’d like your assistance in this research study.”

“What are we researching, dear?” she asked, her mind shimmering with pleasure at his request, at the thought that she’d inspired his work.

“I think there’d a good chance that you’re the reason I’m a telepath.” He said baldly.

She blinked at him in shock, “but Charles, in _Brown Eyes or Blue_ you said the X-gene is carried paternally in over 80% of cases. And you know I don’t carry it and your father did. I don’t see how I could have played a part at all.”

It was Charles’ turn to stare at her in shock; it was rare for him to meet anyone who could quote his work back to him and while he knew his mother owned all of his books, he never thought she’d actually studied them in such detail.

“Yes, but I think it’s the mother –particularly if she’s baseline- that allows the x-gene to awaken. Her hormone levels and genetic lineage may even play a role in which mutation her child manifests.”

She nodded as he spoke, “is that why siblings often share similar mutations?”

“I rather think so. Of course it will be years before we know anything for sure-”

“I’m happy to participate, dear. Anything I can do to help.” It was the answer he had expected but it was always nice to hear.

“Thank you mother,” he placed his hand over hers for a moment before sitting back in his seat.

“What did I do that inspired this line of thought?” she preened.

He smiled as he thought back to his realization about Elaine’s shields and their similarities to his mothers’ “I met a woman with a little girl…”

~~

Erik was anxious for Charles to get home. He realized backed himself into a corner with the rings. Now Ruth-who had been very cagey in her own right- was sure to ask to see Charles’ ‘sculpture’ so here they were.

He tensed as he felt the presence of Charles press a greeting against his mind as he reached their floor and headed to his own apartment. Charles’ lease was ending soon and Erik had assumed they’d be moving in together and eventually finding a larger place of their own.

Now he could only hope that tonight didn’t spell the end of all they’d built together in the year since they’d known each other.

He waited until Charles nudged that he was heading over to put the kids to bed so they could have their romantic birthday evening together. He knew Charles had picked up on his apprehension and he could feel the other mans anxiety as well.

The tension of the past few weeks had finally reached a breaking point; they couldn’t go on like this for much longer and hope to come out the other side whole. Erik looked up from his final dinner preparations as Charles let himself in holding a sleeping David against his shoulder.

They gave each other a warm glance and Charles headed down the hall to tuck him in next to an already slumbering Lorna.

Erik took a deep breath and let it out, suddenly he felt calm. He and Charles were perfect for each other; he could only hope their plans for the future still aligned. He turned to face his boyfriend as he walked back into the room with a hesitant smile on his face.

“Happy Birthday, darling.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI! I'm back! I was suddenly struck with where to go from my cliffhanger (sorry it took so long) I didn't plan on taking such a long break! I hope you're still with me! I love your comments and questions! I'm still taking Chapter requests so let me know! XOXO!


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Birthday Celebration! Romance is in the air!

“Happy birthday,” Charles responded softly, stepping into Erik’s space and pulling him gown for a gentle kiss. He pulled back slightly and gazed up into his handsome boyfriend’s eyes.

He had a fleeting wish that he was a different sort of man, the kind of man who could be happy living a bohemian lifestyle with no strings attached, but that just wasn’t him.

“How is Sharon?”

“She’s fine, says happy birthday.”

“Thank her for me.”

“Of course.” _She wants to give you a present but it’s not something she’d give to a non-family member. I saw her thinking it but she doesn’t want to bring it up because she can tell something is wrong._ He didn’t say.

“Mama and Ruth wish you well,” he added, giving Charles’ hand a soft squeeze.

“They’re sweet for remembering, did Lorna enjoy their call?”

“Oh yes, she loved all the attention.” _All they could talk about was how big she’s getting and it just reminded me of what we won’t talk about. I wish I hadn’t said anything that night._ He whispered remorsefully behind the heavy shields he was keeping up.

He knew Charles attributed it to trying to keep his present a secret but they also kept the telepath in the dark about how worried he’d been over the past few weeks.

They spoke softly so as not to wake the children as Charles set the table and Erik laid out the scrumptious meal of perfectly prepared truffle oil roast salmon with mushrooms and rice pilaf.

They attempted to make small talk but were stifled by the weight of their unspoken worries and settled down to a candle lit meal for two with heavy tension in the air.

“This is delicious,” Charles said after his first bite.

“Thank you, I’m happy with how it turned out,” Erik said stiffly, sharply reinforcing his shields.

They fell into a stilted conversation, each trying to feel the other out as they ate their meal and drank their wine. Unfortunately, as they finished eating, they fell into an awkward silence that had Charles wondering if this was the only birthday they’d ever share. The thought tore a hole through him and left him shaking.

Erik took a final swallow of wine to fortify his nerves and used the moment of silence to build himself up to ask the biggest question of his life.

“Eri-” “Darling-” They laughed awkwardly as they both tried to speak at the same time.

“Please go on.”

“No, you,” Charles insisted, hoping his boyfriend was ready to speak his mind and end their emotional impasse. He looked down at his empty plate, bracing himself for the blow he feared was coming. Surely Erik was going to ask for a break, some time apart to ‘figure things out.’ Charles couldn’t look into his eyes as he ended them.

He heard Erik’s sharp intake of breath but was too nervous to look up or try and look past Erik’s shields and anxious energy. He closed his eyes and waited for Erik’s next words.

“Charles, darling. Open your eyes.”

He had a moment to wonder why Erik’s voice was so close and so low to the ground before he opened his eyes and blinked. Then did a double take as he looked down at his kneeling boyfriend, holding out a delicately detailed, beautifully crafted, masculine wedding ring.

Erik grinned, wide and bright at the blank shock printed on his lovers face.

He was stunned, “Erik-!”

“Charles,” he chuckled nervously.

“Oh my god,” Charles whispered face pale, beautiful eyes flooding with tears.

Erik cleared his throat and took Charles’ hand in his empty one. “As I’ve said so many times, you are the love of my life. I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you long before you saw me as anything more than a friend. I’ve spent months planning this and weeks working up my nerve to ask the only question that’s ever mattered. Darling, will you marry me?”

He wanted more than anything to say yes-but he had to wonder, “You’ve been planning this for months?” he asked shakily.

“Yes?” Erik confirmed quizzically

“So I didn’t- this wasn’t sudden in the last few days or weeks?” he asked desperately, short of breath and afraid to hope all of this was real.

Erik’s confusion cleared up immediately and he gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. “No, Charles. Did you think you influenced me?” he gave the other man a warm look full of all the love in his heart. “I had no _idea_ whether or not you wanted this. I was petrified to ask but I couldn’t go any longer without knowing if you’d be mine?” He asked again softly.

Charles broke into a grin so wide his cheeks hurt. It was the easiest question he’d ever been asked. “ _Yes_ , **YES**. Of course, Erik. I will.” He tugged the other man into an awkward kneeling hug full of sweet, tearful kisses, and soft confessions of love.

Erik finally pulled back enough to slip the ring onto his finger with shaking hands. Unable to believe Charles had agreed to be has partner for life.

Charles pulled away and held his hand up to better see the tiny engraving around the center of the band; he choked up again at the sight of the tiny double helix perfectly replicated in an unbroken circle. “ _Oh, Erik_ ,” he breathed. Looking at his fiancée from beneath his eyelashes to see him shyly avert his gaze and blush lightly. He was always so bashful about compliments about his art but hopefully he could make an exception for this case.

“You made this,” he wondered aloud.

“Of course, I wanted it to be perfect for you,” he nuzzled the telepaths lightly stubbled cheek in response.

“You must have made one for yourself,” he coached gently. Erik nodded and pulled a matching ring out of his pocket with a more abstract spiral design that brought gears to mind at first sight. “You’re amazing,” he reiterated fondly.

“Thank you, I’m glad you like them,” he said shortly even as his mind flared bright with _joy/pleasure/relief_ at the compliment. Charles sighed and eased into his mind, happy that he’d finally dropped his heavy shields and that their concerns had all been addressed and resolved in such happy fashion n.

Charles pulled him into another hug resting his head on the taller man's shoulders and simply basking in the moment. His eye caught on the time and he smiled to see that the time had flipped to midnight. He was 26 and engaged to the love of his life. He couldn't have imagined a better birthday gift. it called to mind the gift he had for Erik. He hoped he liked it nearly as well, though he'd wait for the glow of this special moment to pass before bringing it up.

He couldn't keep from smiling as Erik pulled him into another loving kiss.

_~I love you~_

_~I love you too~_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Charles' ring http://media.offbeatempire.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/6/files/2011/02/Custom-Two-Tone-Wedding-Band-3Qtr-102384.jpg
> 
> Erik's ring https://cdn-img-2.wanelo.com/p/aed/eed/c13/19a8f4eb8c932aeb3374faa/x354-q80.jpg   
> Sorry, Idk what's up with my attempts at hyperlinks tonight! 
> 
> So you see why my muses returned to this story! I had to get this out! I hope you like the chapter! Comment below, let me know! XOXO to you all!


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erik's birthday present is revealed! Someone new drops by for a visit! Wedding Talk!

Erik was happier than he could ever remember being. In many ways the past few days had felt surreal, like an extended daydream of what a perfect world would look like.

“Are you ready?” Charles asked, with a bright smile. He was practically bouncing in place.

“Of course I’m ready! You’ve been hyping this up for days,” he laughed.

“You’ll see why I’m so excited in just a moment,” he glanced around again for the fifth time in three minutes. He wouldn’t tell Erik who or what they were waiting on to arrive but apparently it was a very big deal.

“Give me a hint?” he teased, knowing how hard it was for Charles to keep secrets he was excited about.

His fiancé gave him a reproachful look before his eyes went distant for a moment and he perked up even more, a feat Erik hadn’t thought possible.

“He’s here!”

Erik glanced down the wide, well lit hallway that was a recent addition to the MPA building. At first he’d thought the new addition was his gift. He would have been more than happy with the well built, state of the art, predominantly metal construction fittingly named the Lehnsherr Structure.

The grand opening was in a week, but Charles wanted to give him an early tour. Erik was frustratingly unable to pinpoint the purpose of all the metal, hopefully this tour would explain. Though why they needed company was beyond him he thought grumpily.

He’d have been more than happy to christen all that metal with a quickie while the kids were entertained with some scheduled play group or another.

Charles blushed at his thought and shot him a playful warning glance ~ _behave yourself, Mr.~_

 _~You make that very difficult~_ he projected lasciviously, wrapping an arm around Charles’ waist and pulling him close.

“Don’t let me interrupt your eye fucking!” A jovial male voice cut in with a laugh.

Erik looked up from the flushed face of his fiancée to see Tony Stark walking down the hall, arms spread a warm smile on his handsome face.

“Charles! It’s been so long!”

“It’s been less than a week, Tony,” he corrected dryly. Not that that stopped him from stepping out of Erik’s arms and giving the older man a quick hug.

“And this must be the young man who inspires such genius!” Tony gave his most charming smile and offered a hand that Erik shook firmly, giving his own smile in return.

_~Jesus Christ, look at those things. Are you sure about this Charles?~_

_~Look at what things?~_

He gave Charles and incredulous look, but the other man only had eyes for his sharp toothed fiancée.

 And he’d thought _Azazel_ was bad when Raven first brought him around. “Never mind,” he said aloud, stepping back with a clap. “Let’s see how this baby works.”

“So I finally get to find out what’s going on?” Erik asked, starting to get excited.

“You and me both! I came up with most of it-well along with McCoy. That kid is sharp, let me tell you. I knew it as soon as he applied for my genius grant at 12. We’ve been close ever since,” he chattered as he tapped a code into a metal panel nearest the door. “But we never ran more than a few tests, Charles wanted you to give it a real test run before anyone else had a go. But the _idea_ of it.” He turned to Erik, impressed. “An idea he says you inspired by the way. Is revolutionary. I expect we’ll get a nod from the Nobel committee for this.”

Erik shot Charles a confused look, having no idea what Stark was on about. Charles had the good grace to blush ~ _Don’t mind him. He always plays up my ideas~_

 _~He should, you have the best ideas~_ Erik squeezed his hand softly.

“Gentlemen,” Stark intoned dramatically. “Welcome to the Danger Room.”

~~

“That was amazing!” Tony practically leapt on him as the simulation ended.

“Thank you,” Erik laughed, feeling oddly choked up for some reason.

“You may just be good enough for my godson after all!”

Erik frowned, godson? The confusion must have shown on his face since Tony laughed and threw an arm around his shoulder. “I was fifteen when he was born. Our mother’s thought it would be cute. He threw up on me at the christening. I almost dropped him and the rest is history. Sharon loves that story,” he rolled his eyes at the mention of the older woman.

Erik laughed, trying to picture young Tony being hassled by baby Charles. “I bet Davey is a blast from the past.”

“You have no idea! I’ve never been great a shielding and I swear that kid is sneakier than Charles ever was.”

“That depends on how many cookies are in a five mile radius,” Erik chortled.

Tony looked him over with something like approval in his eyes. “You know I’m _his_ godfather too?”

“I didn’t.”

“No issues with that?” Tony asked, watching him closely.

Erik was baffled, “Why would I have an issue with that?”

“You know who I am,” Tony explained evenly.

“Yes.”

“You know I’m not a mutant,” he continued leadingly.

“Oh. Well. Most people aren’t,” Erik shrugged, still having no idea what the other man was getting at.

Tony must have liked that answer since grinned brightly and wrapped an arm around his shoulder, “I like you, let’s be friends.”

“ _How_ old are you?”

“Why does everyone ask me that?”

~~

That night, after collecting the kids from their playgroup which a fortunately worn them out. They fed them dinner and got them washed up and put to bed before settling down to a game of chess before turning in for the night.

Erik had clearly been overwhelmed by the hard light holographic technology creating a fun yet challenging obstacle course that he’d lost himself in for the better part of an hour.

It was like a puzzle game that got progressively harder as he played and challenged different aspects of his mutation from strength to fine control. It wasn’t until the sequence ended that he noticed the manned booth from which the room had been controlled by Hank McCoy and Charles.

He agreed with Tony, this machine would be the dawn of a new age for young mutants, to think he’d had any part of it’s creation was overwhelming.

His name would be attached to it for all time. He was humbled to his very core and didn’t have words to express himself about it.

“So?” Charles asked eagerly as Erik set the board.

He looked up at the love of his life, drowning in emotion “ _So?_ You took one of the worst moments of my life and made something beautiful out of it,” Erik was in awe of the man he loved.

“Erik…”

“To think that children with powerful or even dangerous mutations will have a safe place to learn control? You’re _incredible,_ Charles _.” ~ How did I get so lucky?~_

“Thank you. You inspire me every day,” he said honestly. “And you won Tony over! He’s usually very protective of us,” Charles said, eyes glistening with affection.

“You and David?”

“Yeah. He and Reggie never hit it off. He can charm most people but she was very prickly about him,” he frowned at the memory.

Erik tangled their fingers together across the chess board set up at the kitchen table. “He told me he’s David’s godfather.”

“Yeah, he’s mine too but that’s another story,” he blushed. Erik smirked, not telling the other man he’d already heard it. “Reggie wanted his godparents to be her sister and brother in law but I had to put my foot down on that,” he grimaced at the thought of her anti psyonic relatives raising his precious son.

“So who’s his godmother?”

“Sharon. I know they’re both crazy but they’ll always have his best interests at heart.”

“No, I get it. There is no Jewish tradition of grandparents. But I had a will drawn up that my mother followed by Ruth will be her guardians if anything ever happened to me.” He smiled, “I guess that will be you now.”

Charles smiled, “I’d be honored.”

Erik grinned, “Me too,” he leaned in for a warm kiss. “They’re already after me about dates,” he chuckled.

“Sharon will want something huge,” Charles sat back with a sigh.

“Of course.”

“But I’d rather have something small, just family and friends,” he glanced up from beneath his eyelashes shyly. “And I’d rather have it sooner than later.”

Erik radiated _love/affection/desire,_ “Me too.”

“I’m sure Ruth won’t mind another trip stateside,” he teased, laughing at the irritation that flickered across Erik’s face. “Don’t be like that. You know they’re getting serious.”

“Yes.”

“Erik. He used his vacation time for her, that’s very sweet,” he squeezed his fiancées hand comfortingly, referring Remy’s summer trip to Germany.

Erik sat forwards with a frown, “Yes.”

Charles frowned, sensing the downturn in his mood but not understanding why. “I thought you liked Remy.”

Erik sighed and ran a hand down his face tiredly, “I like him fine. Or I did. But something is wrong with Ruth. Mama noticed it too but she hasn’t said anything to either of us.”

“And you think it has something to do with Remy?”

“I don’t know. It could really be anything couldn’t it?”

Charles gave him a reassuring smile, “Unfortunately yes.”

“I don’t suppose you can read her mind from here?” he joked with a short laugh.

“Not without some serious tech,” Charles joined in after taking a moment to think about it. “I’ll get Tony and Hank on it right away, just to read your sisters’ mind to you won’t have to have an awkward conversation with her.”

Erik gave a sheepish smile, “I know it’s ridiculous. I’m just worried about her. She’s never this quiet.”

“She’ll tell you in her own time. And for some incentive, the sooner we plan the wedding, the sooner we can see them again and you can intimidate her in person instead of over Skype.”

“Fine. Halloween.” Erik said decisively.

Charles rolled his eyes, “No holidays, darling.”

Erik pouted, “That pushes us to next year!”

“Early next year,” he placated, “maybe March?”

“What’s romantic about March?” he asked sullenly.

Charles was incredulous, “What’s _romantic_ about _Halloween?_ ”

“Costumes,” he said flatly.

“Costumes are not _romantic,_ you loon. Spring Solstice,” he countered.

“What?”

“March 20, the first day of spring,” he offered triumphantly.

“ _And_ it counts as a holiday,” Erik agreed thoughtfully.

“Is that very important to you?”

“I like the idea of the world celebrating with us,” he said, abashed.

Charles fell in love all over again. “Alright then. We have a date,” he agreed softly.

They kissed to seal the deal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally a bit of a longer chapter with some set up for the future! Big things to come! Thanks for reading and commenting! XOXO!


	31. Chapter 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daily life at the office!

Charles was busy working up an abstract for his new avenue of research when he realized that studying the rate of psionic mutations to baseline parents would bring him into direct contact with several members of Mutants Together.

He grimaced at the thought. The group was nationwide, possibly international for all he knew. Most psionics would at least have heard of it and many would be members.

He had no desire to join their psi supremacy group but he wasn’t willing to poison the well of his research. The psi community was very insulated and if he approached this the wrong way, he might destroy this avenue of research before it was begun.

He needed to talk this over with Erik and possibly Elaine to get a clear picture of the situation. He felt dread sitting heavy in his gut at the realization that he’d more than likely have to meet with Emma Frost directly since she ran the main group of Mutants Together in the city.

He took out his phone and texted Raven _~I need an in with MT Advice?~_

He knew she was busy with Kurt so he wasn’t expecting an immediate answer. He sent the partial abstract to Hank for any necessary additions he’d over looked. He was just settling back to read a proposed research grant when his phone chimed.

_~Since you told me about them we’ve done more outreach to psy comm. MT wasn’t happy about it but non psy parents seem more comfortable with us than them. They’re pretty hush about why tho. Tried to contact MT a few times, never got back to us :(_ _sorry~_

 He sighed, it was no less than he’d expected _~Not your fault, thanks for trying~_

His phone lit up again with a picture of a wide eyed Kurt gazing up at the phone, the tip of his little barbed tail stuck into his elfin ear. It was darling. He told her so and immediately forwarded the photo to Erik even knowing it would just feed the other mans baby fever.

Since the engagement his feelings on more kids had settled into cautious excitement at the idea of growing their small family.

He shot off a text to Elaine, knowing he needed to speak to her before heading back into the belly of the beast. Besides, they were long overdue for a play date.

~~

Erik loved pictures of Kurt, his soon to be nephew had stolen his heart from the moment he laid eyes on him. He saved the photo to his phone with the dozens of pictures he had of Charles, Lorna, and David.

“Cute kid,” he glanced up to see Angel leaning over to see the picture, she had somehow snuck up on him as he was leaving the break room. He closed the screen and slipped his phone back into his pocket. Charles’ words of caution about her feelings for him ringing in his ears.

“Yeah, he’s great.”

“His parents must have crazy mutations,” she said leadingly.

“Yes, one is red and one is blue.”

“It’s a wonder he didn’t come out purple,” she giggled and placed her hand on his bicep.

He frowned at her hand until she pulled away nervously, “So, do you like physical mutations?” she tried a different tactic.

“Yes, of course. I admire all mutations,” he said shortly, not liking where this was heading.

She grinned like the cat that got the canary, “Maybe I could show you mine sometime. These aren’t tattoos you know,” she leaned in to give him a view down the v neck of her blouse.

Erik did know, he hadn’t seen them in person but there was a picture of her at the beach at the company barbecue the year before he arrived and she’d had them out. They were same shimmering pink as her barely there bikini.

“No thanks, I’m sure _my fiancée_ wouldn’t appreciate it,” he said stiffly, stepping back to put space in between them and gently preventing her from entering his personal space by pushing a magnetic field around himself.

Irritation laced with distaste contorted her features for a split second before she gave him a coy smile. “ _She_ doesn’t have to know. Besides, what’s the problem with a little showing off between friends? Mutant and proud right?” she quirked her full lips in a wry grin like she’d just won some masterful debate.

He felt his temper flare and struggled to keep it under control. She knew full well who he was engaged to. They wore their rings proudly on matching chains around their necks. Charles wanted to wait until they made it official before wearing them manually, Erik thought it was hopelessly romantic. “ _He_ would mind very much.” He rudely eyed her up and down. “Besides, I’m not interested.”

She gave a frustrated huff. “ _Oh come on, Erik_. I know he’s rich and all but you’re not _gay._ You don’t have to pretend with me." She said conspiratorially, "I’m not looking for anything serious. We can just…have a good time. Think about it,” she winked and turned to go, swaying her hips.

His temper got the better of him and with her next step she ran smack into an invisible wall, stumbling back in surprise. “What the-"

“I’ll tell you once more that I’m _not interested_. Don’t bring this up again. You’re making a fool of yourself.” He strode past her and out of the room angrily as she watched him with wide, shocked eyes.

How dare she imply that he was only with Charles for the money? His phone chimed.

_~Everything alright? That’s not your usual reaction to pictures of Kurt~_

_~Call me?~_

His phone rang immediately and he answered just as he stepped back into his workroom a closed and locked the door behind him. He might start taking lunch in here as well he thought furiously. He kind of liked spending time with his coworkers in their common areas, but the thought of spending any extra time with Angel made his blood boil.

“Hello, darling, I didn’t mean to worry you,” he sighed.

“What’s wrong? I didn’t mean to pry but I’ve hit something of a wall with my abstract and felt your mood drop.”

He hated to bother Charles with this but knew he’d want Charles to tell him if something similar happened. So he explained why he was so upset.

Charles was quiet for a few moments before saying, “You know you have to tell human resources, right?”

Erik rolled his eyes, he hated paperwork and bureaucracy and Charles knew it.

“I mean it Erik; this could make serious trouble for you. She could easily turn it around. Hell hath no fury…” he faded out meaningfully.

He sighed, frustrated. “No, you’re right. I’ll talk to HR after we get off the phone.”

“Promise?” the tone of Charles’ voice shook him. “Yes, darling. I promise. I’ll tell you about it when I get home.”

“Good. And watch out for her. I don’t appreciate this on any level.” He realized what he was hearing was tightly controlled fury. And was more than a little turned on by it

“I know, dear. I’ll handle it.” And hopefully reap the rewards of Charles’ possessive mood.

“Good. Stay out of her way, I’ll see you tonight.”

“Love you.”

“Love you too.” They hung up, each back to his tasks for the day.

Erik sent off a short email to their HR rep outlining what had happened in the break room and asked for a meeting to discuss it.

He’d rather have let it slide, but Charles was right and he couldn’t risk the future he was building for them because of his allergy to red tape. Besides, maybe a talk from HR would be just the thing Angel needed to get off his back.

 As he hit send, he couldn’t help but roll his eyes at the memory of his younger self who’d idealistically thought that mutants would naturally work as one against the dominant culture. Life would be so much easier if only that were true.

He decided to restart the engine rebuild he was working on. He still had a few hours of work left before it was time to pick up the kids and he’d rather get rid of the rest of his bad mood before then.

He turned up B.B King and sank back into his work, losing himself in the rhythm of the song and the feel of the metal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally some plot advancement! What did you think? Any questions? More to come soon! XOXO!


	32. Chapter 32

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short Chapter! Charles has feelings! Meeting with Elaine! Erik sparks another idea!

Charles hung up the phone with a frown. He was livid, even the brief rundown Erik had given him of Angel's actions enraged him. _How Dare She?_

His hands were shaking.

He glanced at the time, nearly an hour until his next appointment- the paper he was reviewing could wait, it was more important that he calm his mind before attempting to interact with anyone.

He closed his eyes and turned his focus inward to the whirling mass of emotion that was threatening to break through his barriers and impact those around him.

Breathing deeply he sorted through his feelings one at a time. He was angry that Erik had been put in that position. He was angry that Erik hadn't taken it seriously enough without his intervention. He was hurt that anyone would accuse Erik of being a gold digger. And there, the root of it all, his ever present fear that no one would love him without the money. He breathed his way through each emotion until he was brought out of his meditation by his fifteen minute warning that he had a meeting.

He opened his eyes with a sigh, shields safely in place. He gathered his things and headed to the department meeting. It wouldn't do for him to be late when he was the host.

~~

"Charles! It's been forever!" Elaine waved him over to the small blanket she had spread on the edge of the playground.

David squealed and twisted in his arms as soon as he sensed Jean who came running at the sight of them. He set his son down and let the two of them collapse into a pile of giggles before they fell silent.

"Elaine! Thank you for making the time to see us!"

"It's no problem! We have a few more friends these days thanks to the MPA outreach program, but there just aren't very many psyonic children, are there?" she laughed, looking bright and happy instead of tense and fretful.

"Not yet," he agreed happily as they got the children settled with a few toys in the center of the blanket. "You look great, if you don't mind me saying."

She blushed at that, "I don't mind. It's been such a load off, not worrying about them convincing me to give Jean away. Besides, there is a lovely older gentleman who helps telekinetic kids learn to control their powers and Jean is actually picking some of it up!" she said brightly.

Charles frowned at her words, partially pleased to hear how far Raven had brought the MPA in terms of psyonic outreach. But mostly upset to hear of Elaine's disturbing fears of Mutants Together.

"Is that something they would do?" he asked, horrified.

She shrugged, "I can't say for sure. I just know that no matter how uncomfortable I was there, I never thought to stop taking Jean to those meetings and leaving her there until I met you," she bit her lower lip uncertainly.

Charles frowned, remembering the mental net MT used to communicate. Had they implanted a suggestion in her mind? Had they been attempting to alienate Jean? Or convince Elaine to give her up for adoption? It would be difficult if not impossible to prove, but it was certainly something to keep in mind.

"I didn't sense anything when I read your mind, of course if there was any telepathic influence I would have brushed past it as part of your shields," he said with a frown.

"Well, I'm glad I let you read my mind," she said softly, reaching out to squeeze his hand with a warm smile. "How can I ever repay you for what you've done for us?"

He clasped her hand for a moment before letting go, "Your thanks is all I need. But, If you'd be interested in working with me on a research study..?"

She perked up with interest, "Me? How could I help? I'm pretty smart but I'm no geneticist," she laughed.

"Let me tell you about my mother, or more importantly, her mental shields," he began warmly. Eager to make inroads with his friend.

~~

"How is Elaine? Erik asked later than night as they were heading for bed. It had been a few days since the incident with Angel and Erik had finally heard back from his HR representative who was eager to set up a meeting.

 _~She's great! Very eager to help with my research. She even said she'd ask around at playgroups and the like for other volunteers!~_ He sent as he brushed his teeth.

"That's wonderful. I can't wait to meet her," he smiled.

_~Yeah, I didn't want to overwhelm Jean-she's prone to headaches- but Elaine mentioned wanting her to have other little girls to play with so next time we want to introduce Lorna, and you're welcome too. She had some questions about telekinesis that I thought you might have some insights on~_

"Sounds good," he paused in thought, "If she has these playgroups, why does she need other little girls for Jean?"

Charles spat and rinsed his mouth _~Psyonics are statistically more likely to be male, especially if they're first born~_

"Fascinating," Erik stepped in close behind him and wrapped a muscular arm around his broad shoulders, "so you're the psyonic trifecta? A bisexual, first born, male?"

Charles laughed at that, "I never really thought of it that way. But I guess so."

"Is that why you're so strong?" he asked, curiously.

Charles paused to think about that, "I don't know. David is the next strongest telepath I've ever met, and Jean is a very powerful telekinetic-easily alpha level, almost certain to obtain omega by the end of adolescence. Time will tell if they are bisexual but they _are_ both first born..." he faded out, lost in thought, eyes distant.

Erik chuckled and gently took his hand, leading him to bed and pulling him down to lay against his chest, "Rest, professor. You can figure out the secrets of power levels, gender, and birth placement tomorrow."

"It'll take longer than that," he sighed happily, coming back to the present, full of desire to learn more, to help their community grow and thrive.

"Good, I would hate for you to get bored," Erik smiled and flicked the light off with a wave of his hand before rolling over onto his fiancée and pressing kisses to his broad chest.

Charles tilted his head back and sank his fingers into Erik's short hair,"No chance of that with you around." _~Perfection_ ~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I was gone for so long! Let me know If you liked this chapter! Also please point out any continuity errors! The story has gotten quite long and I'd hate to mess it up! Thanks for reading!! xx


	33. Chapter 33

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erik has some 'me time'! Family dinner!

Erik was irritated. The meeting with HR had gone about as well as could be expected, but had taken up the better part of two hours of his afternoon. Apparently Ms. Anderson liked to be thorough.

He knew that would set Charles' mind at ease, but his patience was spent. He felt like he'd burst if he had to say another word to anyone.

That in mind, he cut out early for the day, with Ms. Anderson's blessing. At least she was good for something he thought uncharitably.

Half an hour later found him walking along the sidewalk, eating a hotdog and being invisible to the millions of people milling around. It was a wonderful feeling.

If he were honest with himself, he'd needed this. Time to himself to sort out his thoughts and feelings before they could overwhelm him. That tense, shaky feeling that had nearly caused him to crush Ms. Anderson's desk had receded but not completely evaporated.

Just the thought of Angel and how her actions could have negatively impacted his career, his relationship with Charles, and his reputation pissed him off.

On the one hand he hoped she was fired, on the other he hoped she was fired with a reference to another job. He snorted a laugh at his own macabre sense of humor.

He checked the time. Plenty to spare before he was due to pick up the kids. He quickly hailed a cab-forced one to stop in front of him- and headed to the MPA, eager to work up a sweat in the Danger Room.

He swung by and signed up for a short, private session. He could have gone in earlier if he'd wanted to join a team mission, but he'd rather be alone. In the meantime he paced, fiddled with his phone, and listened to a podcast about the history of the United States. He knew very little about it, but it was a complex and fascinating subject.

When his time came, he happily headed inside for a high intensity, limits pushing, training session that left him exhausted and sweaty, feeling like his muscles had been wrung out in the best possible way.

_~Erik?~_

_~Yes, dear?~_ he instinctively glanced around, hoping to see his fiancé. No such luck. He manfully refused to pout.

_~I'm staying a bit late tonight if you could hold dinner for a half hour I'd appreciate it~_

_~Sure thing. Don't be too late, your son won't be pleased about it~_ he teased lightly as he dried off and headed to the locker room for a quick shower.

 _~I won't~_ he was left with the fleeting impression of a wink and a kiss pressed into his mind.

He was relieved that he'd managed to bring his mood back up so quickly and decided to treat himself to an ice cream cone before collecting the kids.

Maybe Charles was onto something with this self care stuff he'd been pushing. Erik had been hard pressed to think of a time that he'd done something simply because it made him happy. He pictured how proud Charles would be of the day he'd had. That in mind he decided to get two scoops of ice cream, in for a penny in for a pound. He smiled to himself and was on his way.

~~

"Darling?" Charles ventured nervously one night later that week as Erik tried to coax David into trying pasta salad. It wasn't going well.

"Yes?" he asked without looking up from his attempts at making the dish seem appetizing to the toddler. They'd found that David approached food more eagerly if it was introduced by someone who actually liked the meal in question.

Lorna was naturally more curious about cuisine. She would try everything but rarely liked any of it. At the moment she was happily munching on fistfuls of pasta salad while watching them with bright, curious eyes.

"I have a meeting tomorrow night."

"Oh? Something for the school?" he asked absently, trying not to frown as David squealed sharply and slapped his hand away with a pout. "Come on, I know you're hungry," he cajoled.

Charles took in the sight with a fond smile. "Not exactly, but it _is_ for my research."

"What we discussed the other night?"

"It certainly ties in, but it's really a preliminary meeting with Mutants Together to gain access to more psyonics for these avenues of research.

Erik frowned and turned to him sharply, "You're meeting with that-"

"Erik!" Charles cut him off sharply, seeing a word in his mind that he'd rather not have the kids running around screaming at daycare.

The other man was unrepentant, "Why can't you use the resources at MPA?"

"Because we only just started really pushing psyonic outreach and most of our clients are non psy parents looking to learn about their children's mutations. Mutant's Together is so reclusive, I can't imagine getting through to them without an in," he admitted soberly as he tried to entice Lorna to use a fork. It was a no go from the unimpressed look she cut him.

Erik sighed, "I understand, but I still don't like it. Just keep your shields up around those-"

_"Erik!"_

_~Sorry~_ he said, not sounding sorry at all.

Charles rolled his eyes and went to wet a towel to wipe Lorna's face and hands before giving her a triangle of toast to work through.

 _~Never lie to a telepath. And don't worry, I'll be extra careful. I know they're not to be trusted. I may need to get Sharon to find out if any senators secretly support their efforts~_ he mused silently, slathering butter and jam on Lorna's toast as she watched with avid interest.

"Vatt!" David yelled, grasping Erik's wrist in his chubby fingers and pulling it close enough for him to take a bite of pasta.

"What? I look away and suddenly you're interested?" he laughed and fed his hungry little boy another bite as he held his mouth open like a baby bird.

"He just needed a minute to decide," Charles said fondly.

"A minute meaning twenty?" Erik laughed, catching his fiancés eye.

"A minute can mean anything when you can't tell time," Charles said ruefully, sighing as Lorna managed to smear jam all over her face and neck while sucking the toppings off her toast before starting on the bread itself. She locked eyes with him the whole time.

~ _Ugh. That's gross_ ~ his stomach turned at the sight.

 _~You should have seen her eat bananas when she was a baby. It was revolting, I still can't stomach them~_ Erik commiserated, calling to mind a little green eyed cherub happily eating a spoonful of mashed banana then squishing it back out her gummy little mouth. Charles felt nauseous from the brief memory.

 _~Thank you for sharing that with me~_ he said dryly.

"Don't be like that, Charles. I always wanted someone to share my parenting moments with," he blew the other man a kiss as he fed David his last bite.

"Sweet talker," Charles blushed at his words, knowing the feeling all too well. The moments of true parental connection with Regina had been few and far between. She had been uncomfortable with David from the moment she first felt him in her mind just after his birth. He frowned at the memory, wishing he could have had those moments with Erik instead.

"Only to you," Erik reminded him mock sternly.

 _~I can live with that~_ they shared a private smile before Charles began clearing up the table while Erik ran a bath for the kids. He absently wondered how they would manage when the children outnumbered them. He couldn't wait to find out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you think? Are you excited about Charles' meeting? Any scenes in particular you're looking forwards to? Comment below, let me know! xx


	34. Chapter 34

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charles meets with Emma! Sparks fly! Drama and intrigue!

Charles ran his fingers through his hair and took a deep, calming breath before pulling the door open and stepping into the Mutants Together Headquarters. He both did and didn't want to be here.

Only the thought of furthering his scientific research and being able to help young psyonics manage their powers kept him going when it came to an organization like this.

He longingly thought of Erik and the babies playing happily at home. He hated to miss family time, but hopefully this would be worth it.

"Charles?" He turned to see Emma Frost walking across the elaborate foyer in stiletto heels. She was dressed in all white as usual and showing both a great deal of leg and cleavage. With her hair piled high atop her head she looked stunning, like she'd stepped out of the pages of a fashion magazine.

She was dressed nicely even for her, and he had the uncomfortable feeling that she'd worn this outfit for his benefit.

"Emma," he greeted her with a smile and extended a hand that she took in both of hers, pulling him in for a kiss on each Â cheek.

He flinched in surprise and pulled back as quickly as he could without being rude.

"I didn't even sense you, I don't know how you manage to keep such firm shields and fly beneath my radar," she gave a soft, tinkling laugh that set him on edge.

Perhaps he was reading too much into her body language and actions, but it seemed like she was treating this as a date.

"Practice and lots of it," he smiled and took a step away from her, putting some distance between them as she led the way to what he thought was a small conference room but turned out to be her personal office.

"Please, make yourself comfortable," she gestured towards the small seating area near the window.

"Thank you," he sat in one of the high backed arm chairs, ignoring the loveseat and sofa that would have given her the chance to sit next to him. A slight look of irritation flickered across her face and was gone so quickly he wondered if he had imagined it.

"Can I offer you something to drink?" she asked sweetly, mind bright with delight at seeing him.

"I'd love some tea if you have it," he said warmly, hoping to steer the conversation to his research.

"Of course. I'll pour." She moved to a small curio set with drinks and their makings. "I must admit, I was beginning to think we wouldn't be hearing from you again. There was even some speculation that you and Elaine had run off together with our two most promising little ones," she laughed but it was tinged with resentment.

"Oh, nothing like that I assure you. I'm still with Erik, in fact we're engaged," he said smoothly, somewhat surprised that she hadn't heard.

He felt a torrent of anger flood her mind before she pushed it aside, her back still to him as she clattered cups and saucers together to make tea. Her spine was rigid, her thoughts as cold and cutting as ice."I wish I could say congratulations," she said stiffly.

"Is there any reason you can't?" Charles asked, trying to keep things light though this was clearly spiraling out of his control more rapidly than he ever could have imagined.

She turned to him with a deep sigh that drew his eyes to her full cleavage. "Because I want what's best for you, Charles. And that isn't a non psyonic. I'm sure you _think_ you love him and that he loves you, but you _must_ know from experience that their kind can never truly understand us. Psyonics can only be ourselves around each other." She set a small serving tray on the coffee table and took the seat nearest to his, reaching out to place her delicate hand on his wrist, her mind alight with schemes and machinations that he didn't have time to peruse.

"Ms. Frost-"

"Please, call me Emma," she said softly, leaning into his space. Her thoughts taking on a rosy hew at their proximity.

He moved his hand and crossed his legs to lean away from her, causing her to sit back with a stilted laugh, "Oh, why are we talking like this anyway? So much can get lost verbally, why don't you lower your shields? Open your mind, Charles. You should know what it's like to be _free_ ," she cajoled sweetly.

He sighed, this was getting old fast. "I know what freedom is, Emma. I live it every day. That's why I'm here. With the research I outlined to you, we can do some real good in the community."

She wrinkled her nose in distaste, "the community. By which you mean mutant kind? Or our kind?"

"I don't see a difference."

"Well they do." She said flatly, mind sparking with remembered pain and rage. "And someday you'll see it too. They think they're so open, so 'proud' but only if you have the right kind of mutation, glamorous and non invasive."

He had to concede the point, "You're right. But with the proper outreach we can change hearts and minds. If my theory is correct, most psyonics are born to baseline parents, often with no history of mutation in their families. If we can prepare people for that possibility, think of the lives we could change."

She sat back, pursing her lips tightly and smoothing her skirt over her thighs. Her mind lit with anger and disgust at the thought of unworthy baselines and non psyonic mutants bringing up the next generation. Tainting them with their misinformed ideas of privacy and personal space.

She exhaled and turned to him with a dazzling smile, pushing those thoughts to the back of her mind with an ease borne of long practice. "Let's not focus on unpleasant things. Your research sounds fascinating and I'm sure that many of our members would be open to working with you. It's wonderful to have one of our own conducting this research," she said warmly.

"Yes, well. I'm eager to begin," he gave a tense laugh, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Her eyes glinted with eagerness and she gave him another bright smile. "Excellent, I'll put your contact information in our next newsletter and keep it running until you conclude your trials. Why, we can even host get togethers for you to screen candidates."

"That would be lovely, Emma. Thank you. Please, let me pay for the events and cost to run the ads. I'd hate to take a penny from your budget," he said quickly. Hoping to stave off a sense of entitlement over a few favors.

Her smile became a bit strained at his words. "Of course, of course. Money is no object for you," she tittered. "I'll have my treasurer be in touch," she patted her hair self consciously.

"Fantastic," he said, pleased with how the evening had gone and wanting to leave before things could turn awkward again. He made to stand up but Emma leaned fowards and placed a hand on his thigh to keep him in place.

"Leaving so soon? I was hoping we might have a chance to spend a bit more time together."

"I'm sure we'll see each other at the mixers we discussed."

"Of course we will," she said firmly, "But we'll need to plan those and I'm sure you want a friend on the inside so to speak? Help encourage our members to participate?" she said suggestively. Insinuating that she could make this hard for him if he didn't agree to a closer working relationship with her.

He sighed, irritated by her persistence, and stood knocking her hand off his knee. "I'm grateful for all you've done, Emma and I'm eager to work with Mutants Together on this. We can hash out the details over email. I'm sure we both have busy schedules to keep," he said lightly, letting his shields slip a bit so that she could see his lack of interest in her as a romantic partner.

For a split second fury and disappointment warred across her delicate features and rioted through her mind. "He must be a _fantastic_ lay," she said snidely, getting to her feet in a huff.

"Emma-"

"It's _fine_ , Charles. Do as you please, waste your life with a man who'll never love you. I can't promise to here waiting when he throws you over for someone 'normal'." She retorted, complete with air quotes.

Charles grit his teeth to stop himself from saying something cruel to this deeply spiteful woman. He followed her to the door, nearly bumping into her when she stopped short and whirled to face him.

"You know he prefers humans, right? Even his daughter's mother is human. Maybe he likes them because they can't do anything about his _anger issues_. His father had a _lot_ to say about that temper of his. Did you know about that? Has he ever let you past his shields? Do you _really_ think he trusts you?" she gave a terse laugh. _~He must have a solid gold ten inch cock that shoots champagne to have you **this** dick blind~_ she projected so loudly he couldn't possibly miss it.

His mouth fell open in shock at the vulgar vitriol spilling out of her.

"I hope little David can protect himself from the time bomb you're shacking up with. And I do mean _shacking up_ , if he ever does get you to the alter it had better be with an iron clad pre-nup," she sneered 

"You don't know what you're talking about-" he finally snapped.

"And what about your ex?" She continued rudely, "She doesn't even love her own son because he's one of us! You sure can pick 'em Xavier."

" _That's_ _enough!"_ he said sharply, cutting her off and striding past her out the door, hating her more vehemently than anyone he had ever met for trying to put doubt in his heart about Erik and his past.

Than something she'd said jumped out at him. He stopped in his tracks and looked back at her, she was standing in the doorway of her office watching him leave with a look of such longing in her eyes that for a moment he pitied her. But that wasn't enough for him to ignore his instincts. She was up to something unforgivable. In a smooth motion he delved past her shields into her mind, collecting the information he needed without letting on what he was up to.

"In light of your outburst, I'd feel more comfortable working with someone else in your organization. If you're still willing to assist my research, please have them contact me via email," he said firmly, ever the gentleman. Though he was holding on to his temper by a thread, it was all he could do not to wipe everything she'd learned about him from her mind, but that would serve no purpose at this point, and she might be able to bring charges against him for it.

She wasn't worth the trouble.

"Charles, please wait-" Emma, finally realizing that her plan to ruin his relationship and make him question his own judgement had misfired, raised a hand as if to stop him. But he turned to go, ignoring the glimmer of tears in her eyes. He had to get home to Erik as soon as possible.

What he'd gleaned from Emma's mind was more than enough to turn Erik into the deadly threat she saw him as. But in spite of that, his boyfriend wasn't his primary concern. He was far more worried about Ruth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you think of their meeting? Any chapter requests (even if they're repeats and I've forgotten them?) Thanks for reading and commenting!xx


	35. Chapter 35

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We find out what Emma did!

Charles dialed Ruth’s number as he jogged down the stairs of the Mutants Together headquarters. He was livid, shaking with suppressed rage. The phone began to ring as he made it to the sidewalk and started walking. He wanted to be well out of sight in case Emma or one of her minions came after him to ‘explain.’

He had a moment to remember the time difference with a wince when a bleary sounding Ruth answered the phone.

_“Hallo?”_

_“Hello, Ruth. It’s Charles.”_ He silently cursed himself at her quick intake of air.

 _“Charles? Is something wrong? Is everyone alright?”_ she asked suddenly sounding more alert.

_“We’re all fine over here. I’m sorry to have wake you like this but I received some disconcerting news a few minutes ago.”_

She paused for a moment and he heard rustling sheets before she said, _“What news? It must be bad if you’re calling me in the middle of the night.”_

He ran his fingers through his hair in agitation, “ _I’m afraid it is. Long story short a woman did an inquiry into mine and Erik’s pasts. While doing so, she contacted your father.”_

She sucked in a sharp breath but said nothing.

_“Ruth?”_

Her accent was so thick he could barely understand her _“I’m here. I just. I don’t know what to say. Why…what?..”_

_“She wanted dirt on me-on us. Your father told her all he knew about your family. She offered a large sum of money for his help-which he gladly took. But he also wanted information. He wanted to know about you.”_

_“Me? Why?”_

Charles shrugged though she couldn’t see him. _“I cant speak for his motivations but he was keen to learn more about you. Emm- the woman who paid him off hired a PI and gave him the report. I’m so sorry Ruth but I have good reason to believe he knows where you and possibly your mother are living and working.”_

 _“Oh my god. I have to get to mama. I can’t tell her this over the phone.”_ He heard her scrambling about and felt a surge of affection for the brave young woman on the other end of the line.

_“Be safe, Ruth. Take a cab if you can, he knows your cars and plates too.”_

_“God fucking damn it!”_ she hissed sounding exactly like Erik when he was pissed. _“I’m packing now. I’ll leave my roommate a note and take Mama to a hotel for tonight.”_  
She sighed, “I hate to wake her, she gets nightmares of that man when her sleep is interrupted.”

Charles wanted to go back to MT and level the place. Then he realized that was going to be a real risk when Erik found out what Emma had done.

_“I’ll text you when we’re settled. Thank you so much, Charles.”_

_“Don’t thank me yet. He has a few days head start on us. Our only saving grace is that he wasn’t living in Germany at the time.”_ he frowned, blaming himself for not seeing this coming, Elaine had tried to warn him but he’d never thought they’d take it this far.

_“Where is he?”_

_“He was working in southern Belarus. I don’t know where he is now,”_ he said honestly.

She clicked her tongue nervously. _“Alright. I’m going to call a cab and finish packing. Thank you for this. Tell Erik we’ll call in the morning. Good luck with him.”_ she said, sounding distracted.

Charles grit his teeth, _“I’m going to need it.”_

~~

“What’s wrong?” Erik demanded as soon as Charles walked in. he had clearly been pacing the floor. “What did that bitch do now?”

Charles didn’t have the heart to correct his language. Emma’s behavior had gone beyond the pale. “Erik, I need to tell you something that going to upset you.” He said softly. He’d practiced his speech during his long walk home.

The other man tensed further, mind whirring with awful possibilities had she brainwashed Charles? Had she hurt him in some way? Had he joined them? Was he here to take David and disappear into their ranks? Forever out of Erik’s reach?

Charles rubbed his temples in a tight circle took a deep breath. “It’s nothing like that, dear. I’m still me and we aren’t going anywhere.” He promised, crossing the room to take Erik’s hands in his. He felt the other man relax slightly, though he was still on edge.

“Then what is it? I could feel your mood blocks away.”

“Emma wanted to break us up.” he said shortly, knowing that if he showed Erik what he’d seen in her mind he’d kill her without hesitation or regret. That was still a possibility no matter how he framed it.

“We knew she’d try that,” uncertainty crept into his tone

“Yes, but we didn’t know **how**. She tried to undermine our relationship. She dug into our pasts-your past- to try and find something to get me to leave you.”

“And? What did she find?”

“She brought up your temper,” Charles said softly.

He frowned, “You know about that."

“Yes, but she didn’t think I did. She had to ask around for it. She-she contacted your father.”

“What.”

“He gave her everything he knew about you-for a price.”

Erik felt like he was walking through a steadily darkening tunnel. He was almost out of air. “What price.”

“Several thousand dollars and…a PI report on Ruth and Edie,” Charles finished in a rush. “They’re safe. I called Ruth and they’re heading to a hotel as we speak.”

Erik pulled away from him with a snap, hands shaking with rage. “Shut me down, Charles.”

“Erik-” he began, shocked by the request.

He turned to him, eyes bright with hatred and unshed tears, “You have to stop me because I can’t stop myself. I’ll kill her. Then I’m going to Germany to finish what I started with my father.”

Charles felt truth echo through his mind. “I don’t want to be a killer. I don’t want to become my father, please Charles. I’m holding on by a thread,” he begged.

That was true, and his barely restrained temper was burning through that thread rapidly. He was on the cusp of unleashing the violence that always prowled beneath his civilized veneer.

Charles blinked back tears. “Then sleep, darling.” He stepped up to catch him as he slumped into unconsciousness and gently laid him on the couch. He delved into his mind and soothed his blind rage just enough so that when he woke he would be capable of control and rational thought.

Then he sat, weary to his bones. Wondering what would have happened had he not stopped to talk to Emma that day on the pavement? Could all this have been avoided?

Not that it mattered; there was no undoing what had been done. That said, there had to be a way to fix this. He wished he could believe that Jakob Lehnsherr had changed over the years. But hearing the vitriol with which he spoke of Erik and his past had him on edge. There was also something in his tone when he demanded information on Ruth. Like he was owed it as his due.

No, he was still the same evil man he had been nearly twenty years ago. Charles would bet his life on it. But he wasn’t willing to bet Ruth and Edie’s. There had to be a way to keep them safe, he’d never forgive himself if something happened to either of them. And there would be no stopping Erik if it came to that.

He picked up the phone and started dialing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you think? Crazy goings on, I know! 200 bookmarks?! You guys!!❤️❤️ Comments are love! xx


	36. Chapter 36

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erik and Ruth the morning after the big revelation.

Erik woke to tiny fingers prying his eye open. He took in the blurry sight of the bright green eyes of his daughter. “Vati? Are you awake, vati?” she whispered curiously, like she didn’t want to wake him if he wasn’t.

He chuckled and opened his other eye, “yes, schatz. I’m awake.”

She grinned, “Good,” and clambered up to sit next to him, tiny legs dangling off the couch. “Good morning.”

“Good morning sweetheart, did you have a good sleep?” he asked, rubbing his eyes sleepily before sitting up to buss her on one chubby cheek, setting her off giggling from the tickle of his stubble.

“I sleep good,” she laughed and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

“Good,” he closed his eyes and inhaled the sweet scent of her hair, letting the bad feelings of the night before slip to the back of his mind for the moment.

Of course the moment couldn’t last and soon Lorna was wiggling around asking for breakfast.

“Breakfast sounds good,” Erik looked up to see Charles watching him with concerned eyes.

“Good morning, daddy!” Lorna chirped brightly.

“Good morning lovely, where is your brother? Still sleeping?” he asked , knowing her reaction would be to run to their shared room to check on Davey.

She didn’t disappoint. And once she was out of earshot, he sat next to Erik and took his hand. “How are you, love?”

“Better. Thank you for last night,” he said soflty.

“Of course. Thank you for asking it of me,” he leaned in and ressed a chaste kiss to his mouth.

“How long was I out?”

“A little under seven hours.”

Erik immediately tensed, “Have mama and Ruth called?”

“Yes, they’re safe and sound. They’ll be here soon.”

“How?”

“After I put you out, I called Raven and asked her what to do. You know the MPA offers support services for abuse victims.”

“Yes, of course.”

“So she talked me through the best way to help get them to a safe place. We decided on Tony sending a jet for them so they could enjoy their flight. He had a plane fueling in France so they should be on board in a little while.”

“So they’re alone for now?”

“No, Azazel is with them,” he said with a small blush. “That was also Raven’s idea. If things get dicey he’ll have them out of there at a moment’s notice”

“Why couldn’t he just teleport them here?” Erik asked, confused.

“Apparently the further you go, the more difficult travel is, especially for first timers. Raven thought it would be too much stress on top of everything else.” Erik heaved a sigh at his explanation, “she’s got a good head on her shoulders.” He admitted reluctantly.

“Yeah. I was way too emotional to think straight. I don’t know what I’d do without her.”

“I need to talk to them,” Erik said suddenly, reaching for his phone.

“Soon, love. Ruth was desperate to call Remy before their flight and your mother is resting, apparently she has a migraine.” Erik frowned at the news. “I’ll bet she does.”

Charles draped an arm around his shoulders. “Try not to worry, sweetheart. You’ll see them soon.”

“See them soon!!” Davey echoed as he toddled into the room followed by Lorna dragging a stuffed dinosaur by the tail.

“Exactly darling,” Charles let them clamber over him and shower him with baby kisses before pushing them off gently sending them tumbling in a fit of giggles. Erik felt a ghost of a smile flicker across his face at the adorable display.

“I called off today. You should too. Maybe for a few days,” Charles said softly. “Let’s just take some time.”

Erik rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly and heaved a sigh. “That sounds good, actually. I don’t know what use I’d be at the moment anyway.”

“Do you need to go in? Any meetings with HR?” Charles asked, suddenly remembering their issues with Angel.

“That could actually work in my favor. She seemed worried that I’d sue for sexual harassment or…what do you call it?” his brow crinkled as he tried to remember the term.

“A hostile work environment?” Charles offered.

“Yes, that. I think they’ll be happy to give me whatever time I need.”

“Good. We’ll keep the kids with us and just have a family day,” Charles said brightly. Erik was more thankful than he could say that he didn’t need to express his panic about being away from any of them right now. His emotional state was too fragile. He was still strung tight with tension and rage, he felt like anything could set him off.

 _~You’re doing great, love. I’m here for you~_ Charles reassured him

 _~I know~_ he did, but that didn’t stop him from worrying about who he truly was deep inside. His fear of becoming a carbon copy of his father still dogged his heels.

“Brek-fasssT!” Lorna braced her hands on his knees and yelled in his face with a pout, startling him out of his reverie. He had to chuckle at that.

“Alright, let’s see about breakfast and maybe a movie?” he squeezed Charles’ hand and pressed a kiss on him before heading to the kitchen, Lorna trailed him, happily chattering away.

Charles chased a giggling David down the hall to get him clean and changed to start the day. Erik let himself absorb the sounds of his family, the warmth of their love.

He ran a hand over his face and took a deep breath, attempting to dispel his remaining fear. He turned his thoughts to breakfast and entertaining his princess. Counting the hours until he could surprise her with a visit from her grandma and aunt. The hours until all his loved ones were truly safe once more.  
~~

“I feel so stupid,” Ruth confessed quietly. She was on the phone with Remy who was livid to hear what was going on, though he hoped he was hiding it well.

“Nah I don’t want to hear that, sugah. None o’ this. Now _none_ o’ this is your fault, ya hear?”

She shook her head, denying the comfort he offered. “You don’t understand, Remy. I _knew_ something was wrong.”

Ruth could practically hear his frown through the phone. “I know you been worried darlin’ but I thought it was about our plans.”

She bit her lip nervously, “No. I’m excited about those. I know everyone’s noticed something’s up with me…”

“You jus’ need to take yo’ time on some things darlin’. No harm in that.”

“Well I took too long and look what happened,” she said bitterly.

“What’s happenin’ sweet thing?”

“I- for a while I kept seeing a man around town. I got a weird feeling about it but thought I was being paranoid. It was starting to bother me but what could I do? He never approached me or tried to talk to me. He was never even _looking_ at me and we were always in public with lots of other people around. Then he was gone and I hoped it was all over, but the feeling stayed.”

His blood ran cold at her anxious words, “What feeling?”

“Being watched. I know I’m paranoid because of my past,” she began to tear up. “But I should have trusted myself. I should have _told_ you.”

“Now honey, don’t beat you up. This all sounds planned. Sad to say if he nevah came near you there ain’t nothing the police coulda’ done anyway.” He tried to comfort her but felt helpless because of their separation.

“Yeah.”

“Hey, when you get here we’ll work on all that, alright? You got great instincts girl. You jus’ need to learn to trust ‘em. Alright?”

“Alright,” she wiped her face and took a shuddering breath. “Thanks, meine Geliebter," she murmured softly.

“Anythin‘ for you, love. I’ll see you in a little while. Try an get some rest.“ He said gently, hoping that his worry didn‘t come through in his tone. He’d seen so many similar cases with horrific endings. 

The thought of those things happening to his beloved and her mother was the stuff of nightmares. They'd come so very close to disaster. He couldn‘t wait to have her stateside again, safe in his arms. This time for good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of emotions! Reunions coming up! Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think and what you want to see!


	37. Chapter 37

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Family day! Ruth and Edie arrive!

Erik was attempting to pay attention to the cartoon that had entranced the children. It appeared to consist of stuffed animals spinning in circles singing the same song over and over again for going on forty five mintues.

 _~What the hell is this?~_ he finally asked Charles who was gazing at the screen with a glazed over look in his eyes.

_~Hm? Oh, apparently its all the rage at the daycare. Look how still they’re being~_

_~I can feel myself losing braincells~_ he griped as the characters invited the kids to sing along.

 _~I think its sweet~_ Charles smiled and reached over to run his fingers through Erik’s hair comfortingly.

_~Of course you do~_

_~Grumpy for a man who actively wants another baby who will undoubtedly love this show and worse~_

_~There can be nothing worse~_

_~You say that and we haven‘t even gotten to Mutant Like Me. I think the dragons will be a real winner with you~_  
Erik groaned dramatically setting Charles off in a fit of laughter. He felt himself relax just that much further. They’d gotten word an hour earlier that Ruth and Edie’s plane would be arriving soon.

He felt immeasurably better knowing they were safe in the air out of Germany where Jakob was hunting them. He wondered if any of them would ever feel safe going back.

There was still so much to handle with their jobs and Ruth’s apartment and the house his mother owned. But they could deal with all that once they were safe and had a handle on Jakob’s location and his intentions.

Lorna began to butcher the lyrics badly while David squealed and bopped along happily. Erik wondered what they were seeing as they watched this mess.

 _~Want to see?~_ Charles asked brightly, seemingly very Zen with the whole dynamic. And suddenly the show was fascinating. The colors were unreal-he’d never seen anything like them! The characters were bright and engaging and the song was well written and addictively catchy. He could happily watch it all day everyday and learn something new every time!

Then he was back to himself and the show was insufferable again. “Whoa.”

~ _Having an underdeveloped prefrontal cortex is a hell of a drug~_ Charles laughed at his own corny joke but Erik had to agree. No wonder the kids were enthralled.

 _~You’ll have to show me how Kurt sees the world~_ he mused, still reeling from the paradigm shift.

Charles heaved a pleased sigh _~Infants have the clearest minds. Everything is immediate and their feelings are pure. I’ll show you Kurt and I’ll show you ours when we get one~_ he took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Erik was surprised, “You think we’ll get an infant? Aren’t those hard to come by in adoptions?” he asked softly.

“Yes, but it’s a bit easier with mutant children or we could use a surrogate if you prefer.”

“Hmm,” he said noncommittally.

“Just think on it, we have time,” Charles said softly with a warm smile.

Erik nodded and squeezed his hand tightly as the song came to an end for the final time. _~thank goodness for small mercies~_

Charles chuckled and switched the television off amid much clamoring from the kids, “Let’s all color for a while to come down from all this excitement. I bet grandma would like a nice picture!” he said brightly, heading to the shelf to get their art supplies down.

Erik settled on the floor with them, and began fiddling with small scraps of metal that he hadn’t decided what to make into.

Lorna set her coloring book between her stubby legs and got to work scribbling, tiny tongue poking out of the corner of her mouth in concentration.

David copied his father and sprawled out on his belly as they worked on a picture together. This was one of the most perfect moments in his life. He smiled and began to twine the metal into tiny, lightweight rings that would be perfect for Lorna to practice with.

His little princess would never be defenseless if he had any say. He rattled one of the rings next to her ear and let it fall into a loop around her tiny wrist. She tugged at it with her power then let it settle, content as always to be in contact with metal. She grinned at him before getting back to work on her picture.

He settled back against the couch, content to watch them work until the rest of their family made it stateside.

~~

“Erik!”

“Mama,” he pulled her into a tight hug and didn’t let got for several minutes. She finally pulled away to look him over with worried eyes. “Mein lieber Junge, how are you?“

“I should be asking you that,” he said softly taking in the bag beneath her eyes and her slightly stooped shoulders.

“Thanks to Charles and Azazel we are just fine mein Liebling,” she clutched his hand tightly and gave him a slightly brittle smile.

“Erik!” Ruth exited the plane and rushed into his arms breaking away after just a moment.

“Hey Ruthie,” he said fondly. “Did you have a nice flight?”

That set her off on their joys of flying private and how she didn’t think she could go back to commercial. He raised an eyebrow and shared a look with his mother. Some  
things never changed.

They were in a private hangar at the airport with armed guards at the exits. For the first time since hearing Charles’ new, Erik felt fully calm and secure.

“Remy!” he turned to see the federal agent rushing in to pull Ruth into a hug and spin her around-red hair flying like a banner, before planting a soft kiss on her lips as he set her back on her feet

It was strange to see and he didn’t exactly like it but he supposed it could be worse. He wondered when the other man had arrived; then again he had been preoccupied  
for the past little while.

Remy and Ruth began talking softly to each other, heads bent close so their lips were practically touching.

Edie looked pensive as she took in the sight before turning back to Erik with a tired smile. “Young love, eh?”

He wondered if she was remembering her youth when she fell for Jakob before it all went so horribly wrong. He looped his arm over her shoulders and gave her a light squeeze.

 **BAMF** Azazel stood just in front of them next to a small pile of luggage. It was easy to tell what belonged to whom. Unless his mother’s taste’s had changed and she was suddenly willing to shell out cash for Burberry.

Everyone but Erik startled at his sudden appearance.

Edie pressed a hand to her heart, “My goodness. I wasn’t expecting that,” she chuckled.

“Forgive me, I didn’t mean to frighten you,” he apologized.

“You just surprised me, dear. No harm done,” she assured him gently.

He smiled and bowed over her hand. “It was a pleasure escorting two such lovely ladies. I’m sure we’ll see more of each other during your stay.”

“I do hope so, we’d love to meet Raven and Kurt,” Ruth said. She and Remy having made their way over during their brief conversation.

“I’m sure that can be arranged,” he smiled. “Speaking of which, I should be getting home.”

He and Erik shook hands, “I can’t thank you enough for this.”

“You would do the same for me. Think nothing of it,” Azazel said firmly. He took his leave of them and vanished once more.

“What a charming young man,” Edie said softly. “And _Remy_ , so lovely to see you again,” she pulled him into a hug and kissed him on the cheek.

“Grand to see you too, miss. It’s been too long,” he blushed, hand still linked with Ruth’s.

“Erik.”

“Remy,” he nodded shortly, they briefly shook hands.

“Well, I swung it so you two are set up in some fancy digs with code names and whatnot. Ya’ll ready to get to your hotel?”

“Yes, please. I’m still a bit tired,” Edie said eyes pinched at the corners in a way that indicated she was fighting off one of her migraines.

“Then let’s head out. Y’all can catch some shut eye and get settled in,” Remy said warmly.

“And when you’re up for it, we can set up a play date with the kids,” Erik added, knowing it would please them like nothing else to spoil the babies for a while.

“That sounds wonderful,” they headed out to the car Tony had sent for them, two guards stepping in to load the luggage into the trunk.

Erik breathed a sigh of relief. Things were finally looking up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the long wait between chapters! I have a nice Halloween one planned! Let's see if I can get it out on time haha! Thanks as always for reading and commenting! xx


	38. Chapter 38

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy Halloween!!

Erik was feeling much better in the days since his mother and sister had arrived from Germany. They had heard nothing more from Jakob and Remy had arranged to have a watch placed on his passport so they’d know if he entered the country.

Legally that is. He’d spent an embarrassing amount of time worrying over how easy it would be to cross the Canadian border until Charles had kissed him out of his funk.  
Edie had gotten leave from work since she’d been saving up for another visit next year; she was just burning through her vacation time. And as usual, Charles had encouraged her to live like she was on vacation and not on the run from her violent ex husband. It was sound advice.

She’d been to see two shows and had even visited a day spa with Ruth who had been otherwise preoccupied with Remy. Both women had consented to Charles lightly tracking their whereabouts without prying. It helped them all feel better to know that help was only a whisper of a thought away. Thankfully it hadn't been needed.

Edie had even found a nice synagogue and attended services the week before. Ruth had other plans that left her positively glowing. But Erik had taken Lorna, more to humor his mother than anything else. She’d been so pleased to have them at her side that he couldn’t regret it, even though he spent the service distracting Lorna from tugging at the attendants’ jewelry and toppling candles with her fledgling powers.

To think, he’d left David at home out of concern for him reading minds and grasping people’s attention in the middle of services.

He would never forget the puppet show in the park and wasn't risking a repeat.

Charles had laughed at his exasperation with their little girl, “The only strange thing about this is that you thought there was some way to take either of them anywhere without shenanigans.”

He had manfully refused to pout as the children had clambered over him and tugged him down to play blocks. At least their shenanigans managed to be adorable, but he'd be lying id he said he wasn't worried about adolescence.

Edie had loved showing them off and had even bragged about their mutations and taken off her bracelets for Lorna to bang about after services were over.

Erik had surreptitiously slipped his ring onto his finger when he realized he was catching the eye of several young women and their mothers. He wished Charles could have made it, but he’d scheduled visitation with Regina for the few hours they’d be gone.

Charles was always careful to arrange these play dates when Erik was otherwise indisposed. He hadn’t seen Regina since their first awful meeting a year ago at that fateful Halloween party. And he had no real desire to see her again.

 As much as he hated the thought of Charles being alone with his former abuser-and one with enhanced strength no less- he knew Charles and even David could protect themselves. It still made him uncomfortable and he suspected it always would.

More so now that the threat of Jakob was cast over their peaceful lives. His nightmares had come roaring back with a vengeance and he was sure without Charles’ warm comfort to pull him out of the morass of fear and pain that still dwelled in the depths of his mind he would be a trembling wreck of a man.

~~

That brought them to tonight. They had decided to do another costume contest with he and Lorna vs Charles and David doing themes. They agreed to start family costumes next year, after they were formally married.

“Besides,” as Charles said. “How would we pick which kid went with who once we have more than two?”

Erik loved the thought of them surrounded by their kids all wearing adorable costumes. He couldn't wait.

He adjusted his helmet and chainmail and turned to his squire, “Ready?”

“Yes Vati!” she grinned up at him, clutching her dull tin sword happily in her tiny matching armor. They were sure to win this hands down.

He grinned, “Let’s go show daddy how it’s done.”

They made the trip down the hall. Charles still had his apartment for a few more weeks and they’d retreated to their separate corners for this competition.

Lorna rattled the door knocker before he had a chance and he felt like his chest would burst with pride. She was a real go getter.

A beekeeper opened the door, complete with boots, gloves and a hat. A tiny, plush, honeybee staggered over to him and fell back onto his well padded rump, a look of surprise painted on his darling little face.

Erik had to rethink that easy win. They looked like an absolute picture.

Lorna squealed and swung at David with the sword, poking his stuffing eagerly. David laughed brightly and grabbed for it.

“A knight in shining armor! My hero!” Charles gave him an appreciative look and a warm kiss before turning to Lorna. “And his faithful squire. We have nothing to worry about with two such brave heroes on our side.”

Lorna beamed up at him and raised her sword excitedly. “Look daddy!”

“I see it sweetheart.” He turned to Erik shyly and gestured to his elaborate outfit. “It was my fathers. He kept bees for a time. Mother suggested it.”

“Well, she was right. You look charming, and your bee is precious. Though I hope you saved all your honey for me,” he said flirtatiously.

Charles chuckled and gave him a wink “Oh, I only share it with handsome knights who would appreciate it, know where I can find one?”

“I have someone in mind,” he splayed his hand over Charles' lower back firmly.

“Oh?” He asked, leaning into his warmth.

“Tricksortreeets!” Lorna yelled. David pushed himself onto his knees and let out a wordless shout.

Charles chuckled and tipped his forehead to rest on Erik’s chest, “Let’s put a marker on that conversation for later.”

“Sure thing," he smirked, mind whirring with possibilities.

~~

They had a repeat of the year before, heading through the building for treats and meeting other kids and their parents in the halls. Though their costumes didn’t match, they were a huge hit with everyone they met.

David and Lorna even had a system.

She would rattle the knocker (knock with Erik’s help) and yell 'tricksortreets!' The door would open and she would wave her sword triumphantly while David held up his candy sack while buzzing loudly.

They were raking in candy hand over fist.

Charles had several minutes of the adorable footage and couldn’t wait for the kids to be old enough to be embarrassed by it.

“Ready to head to the community center?” Erik asked after about an hour of adventuring through the building.

“Of course!” Charles grinned. _~Hopefully this year goes better than last~_ he said remembering their altercation with Regina.

“Did she mention whether or not she’s coming this year?” Erik asked as they collected the kids and their accessories and headed to the car.

“We didn’t talk about it.” ~ _I didn’t know how I could bring it up without staring a fight~_ “But she said she’d be fully moved in by the end of the month so we’ll see if she makes it out.”

Erik frowned, “what? Her move?”

Charles rolled his eyes and gave an impatient huff, shuffling to the side as Lorna poked him in the calf with her sword. “I may as well have dressed as a dragon with the way she’s going after me,” he griped playfully.

Erik was not to be deterred by their utter cuteness, “What move?”

“I guess you didn't hear me, I know you’ve had a lot on your mind," he said hesitantly. "I told you she’s moving back to the city to live with her new boyfriend.”

He relaxed a bit at that. At least she wasn’t still trying to get back together with Charles. “Well. That’s good. Maybe David can see his mother more,” he tried to sound as neutral as possible though he really didn't like the idea.

Charles simply shrugged, “We’ll see.” and finished buckling the kids into their seats.

Erik cut him a sharp look. There was something he wasn’t saying. _~???~_

_~Later. Let’s just enjoy tonight~_

Erik agreed. They needed a worry free night after the past few weeks. “Alright. Let’s get this show on the road”

~~

Before long, they parked at the MPA and headed inside where the party was in full swing. Erik squired their coats away and coaxed everyone into yet more pictures.

Charles was looking around happily, “Great turnout this year! This is the by far the biggest crowd we’ve ever had."

"I'll say," Raven cut in with a smile. She was stunning in her natural skin and eyes with antenna and a gossamer, navy, sheath dress and large shimmering butterfly wings attached to her shoulders. Kurt was swaddled in a white sling and appeared to be sleeping for the time being.

"Wow! You've really outdone yourself this year," Charles nodded approvingly at the sight of her

She giggled and shook her head, shifting a swaddled Kurt higher up her shoulder. "It was easy enough. Az knows a guy who makes props so the wings were really all I needed. It was an easy call since Kurt loves to be swaddled. He's my little cocoon," she cooed to him, he pursed his lips in his sleep but otherwise didn't react.

"Larvae," Charles corrected brightly, about to launch into a lecture on the life cycle of butterflies and how you can tell them apart by their wing structure when Raven cut him off with "How weird is it that we both did a bug thing?!" and reaching down to pat Lorna on the head when she ran up to her chattering and swiped her ankles with her sword. Charles pouted but let the subject drop.

"She's getting good with that," Erik said approvingly of his daughter. Charles had a sudden, horrible image of Erik training the kids as a band of vigilante warriors. It would be like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles but way way worse for his blood pressure. He was reluctant to bring it up lest he give the other man ideas.

The moment passed and they spent the evening bobbing for apples, playing wrap the mummy, dancing, and collecting yet more candy. Of course their main focus was keeping the toddlers out of trouble and Kurt happy but it was still the most fun they'd had in ages and just what the doctor ordered after all they'd been through in recent weeks.

Charles had just finished thwarting David's plan to eat a candy wrapper when Erik cut in and sent him off to be spoiled by Azazel. Charles gave him a suspicious look _~What are you up to?~_

Erik smirked and gently tugged him into one of the open offices and kissed him breathless.

"What was that for?" he asked, blushing and pleased to see Erik being light hearted and playful.

"I seem to recall putting a marker in this conversation," he said innocently as he closed the door with a flick of his fingers, holding Charles close.

Charles' eyes widened, scandalized when he realized what Erik was up to, "The kids?"

"Are with Azazel and Raven, but we'll owe them, " he grimaced slightly as he said it. They weren't leaving Kurt with anyone while he was an infant but the time would come soon enough he was sure. Hopefully his little squirrel just stayed blue and didn't develop any more troublesome mutations. Somehow he doubted they'd be so lucky.

Charles was aghast, "You told my sister...?"

But Erik just laughed, "I _inferred_ to Az. What he tells your sister is not my concern. Now, about that honey..." he all but growled.

Charles slipped his gloves off and gave him a look through his eyelashes, "Lock the door. Leave the helmet on."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy 2 year anniversary of this Fic! I'm so happy to have all of you here, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I don't remember who suggested David in a bee costume so long ago but as you can see it really stuck with me so thank you very much for that! Any further Chapter suggestions are more than welcome!
> 
> Celebration video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WW0HGkM1A4 James McAvoy in a comedy sketch, headphones, to be safe, NSFW. Thanks for all the support through the years! xx


	39. Chapter 39

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David's Second Birthday!!

The weeks flew by in a state of limbo in regards to Jakob Lehnsherr. Charles was worried that as time went by without any word of the man, they would naturally lower their guard and tragedy would strike.

He kept those worries to himself, knowing Erik had more than enough worst case scenarios rattling around his mind at any point in time.

He was given some leeway when Remy invited Ruth to move in with him and she accepted. Erik was appalled, but also pleased. An emotional combination that would only make sense to the dramatic metal bender.

“Walk me through it,” Charles asked as they cleaned up after dinner one night while the kids mashed play dough on the floor. They'd been consciously speaking aloud more to help David verbalize rather than leaning so heavily on his telepathy.

“She’s a smart girl. A good judge of character and he is good to her,” he admitted sourly.

“And that’s bad because?”

“It’s not bad.”

_“Erik.”_

“I worry that he’ll hurt her. I know, it’s ridiculous.”

“It’s love, darling. Raven was so sure that you’d leave me, remember? Not because she wanted it, but because that’s what’s always happened and she’s been there to pick up the pieces. I lived my mother’s heartbreak. It’s not easy to watch a loved one suffer; you know that better than most.”

Erik sighed and began wiping down the counters. “You’re right. I do like that she’s happy. It would be nice to have her live closer.”

“That’s the spirit! Stay positive,” Charles wrapped an arm around his slender waist and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “No, sweetie,” he ducked and pulled a glob of play dough out of David’s mouth.

Erik smirked at the unimpressed look their little boy shot them. “He’s going to be trouble.”

“Going to be?”

He laughed, good point.

~~

David’s second birthday was upon them before they knew it. They had another small party at the crèche with similar results. Charles was happy to have a few extra guests in the form of Edie, Elaine, and Jean.

The little psyonic fit in with the other kids without issue. Her prior exposure to Lorna and David through regular play dates helped with that.

Charles felt ridiculous with his mother and Elaine in the same room. How could it have taken him so long to recognize those shields?

He laughed to see David and Jean looking back and forth between the women like confused puppies. He wondered if the similarities helped Jean feel immediately comfortable with Sharon, or if she was just following the lead of her two newest friends. More avenues to explore in his research.

In just a few minutes, the party was in full swing and there was the controlled chaos of a roomful of excited toddlers to entertain, mostly with clapping games and cookies.

The photo opportunities were endless. They got a great group shot with David between the girls, all of them wearing cheerful party hats and laughing.

He promised Elaine a copy and planned to print one out for his desk at work. He took a short video of the kids playing Ring around the Rosie and helping each other up after they all fell down. It was too adorable for words.

He sighed, happy to have provided a perfect day for his beloved son. Even if his mother couldn’t be there.

Speaking of which, Charles had been concerned that the Sharon and Edie wouldn’t be able to relate, but the kids turned out to be an immediate bridge between them so he needn’t have worried.

“She’s so glamorous, like a movie star.” He overheard Edie telling Erik as he walked her out as the party wound down.

Erik laughed, “She’s certainly stylish. She helped choose the wedding planner.”

“You’ll need one of those if Charles is anything like you when it comes to planning parties.” She chuckled.

“This party is his doing and is far more than anything I could have set up,” he said dryly.

“Well, pin the tail on the donkey was a fun time,” she said loyally.

Erik was confused, “Like I said, all Charles.”

Edie was confused, “You don’t remember how much you loved that game?”

“No. Really?”

“Yes, you loved pulling the pins out and hiding them. I think you could sense the metal,” she said fondly.

“That’s not playing the game.”

“Playing is playing at that age.”

He had to agree with that. What else was he supposed to think about David and Lorna being entertained by rolling each other up in blankets and wriggling around on the floor? It made no sense to him, but was one of their favorite games.

Charles stepped in with a smile. “Thank you for coming, Edie. I do hope we can expect you for Thanksgiving next week?”

She beamed, “Of course. Erik has really talked it up; I’m looking forwards to it.”

“Do you know if Ruth with be joining us?”

“She’s going to Louisiana to meet Remy’s family,” Erik said flatly. Charles and Edie shared a surprised look at his low key reaction. He noticed. “What?”

“It’s just nice to see you relax a bit dear,” Edie smiled. They turned as one at the discordant weeping of the children as Sharon began to pull on her coat. She had been surprisingly popular with the kids and their classmates this year and had been endlessly patient refereeing a never ending game of Duck, Duck, Goose.

Charles thought it had been good for her. They watched as the care workers settled the kids and turned their attention to Simon Says.

“Mother, Thank you for coming,” he took her hand warmly.

“Of course, dear. I enjoyed myself.”

“You’re quite good with them,” he gestured towards the kids.

“Thank you. I’ve been spending more time at the group home.” She referred to the charity she funded to place high risk children in loving homes. “You should stop by sometime. I think the children would enjoy it.” Her mind glimmered with some plot that he would need to delve for.

“Mother,” he began, eyes narrowed.

“It’s just a suggestion,” she said innocently. “Do let me know. Also, I was expecting to see R-E-G-I-N-A here today?”

“She doesn’t know where the crèche is. We’re seeing her this weekend.” He explained carefully. Not wanting to get into his concerns about her attempting to come see David or even pick him up without permission.

Sharon smiled, “Clever boy. I hope to see you all soon. It was lovely to meet you, Edie. We’ll have to go shopping to get our mother of the groom dresses. I have a modiste who works wonders.”

“I’ve never had a dress made,” Edie said, intrigued by the idea.

“You’ll never go back to off the rack,” Sharon took her hands and they kissed cheeks. “Can my driver drop you anywhere?”

“If you don’t mind? It’s a bit cold out to walk and I’m in the opposite direction of the apartment.”

“Of course.”

They exchanged goodbyes and headed out.

“Great party,” Erik looped an arm over his shoulder and kissed him on the temple.

“Thank you,” he agreed proudly. “I can’t believe he’s already _two_.”

Erik liked to hear that, “You getting baby fever?”

Charles rolled his eyes playfully, “Not as bad as you, old man.”

Erik smirked, he could deal with that, it wasn’t a no.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanksgiving chapter coming up! More news on Erik's work situation!! thanks for reading my lovelies!!


	40. Chapter 40

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Holiday Drama!!

It was the Sunday of Thanksgiving week and Charles and David were meeting with Regina for a play date to celebrate his birthday at a small, local bistro. She had given him an aqua doodle mat that he was sure to love. Charles had taken a video of the moment and of her holding David and feeding him bits of an orange frosted sugar cookie.

They spoke of general things and Charles spent more time focused on editing an article on his phone than attending their interaction, though he kept a close tether on his sons mind. He was doing much better with social interaction, but his control could spike when he was excited, like the rare times he saw his mother.

“Charles?” Regina said after a few minutes of attempting to teach David a simple hand game. He had gotten bored and wandered over to dig through her purse.

“Yes?”

“About Thanksgiving.”

“What about it? You only set up to see him once this week.” _~In spite of me asking about it~_ he didn’t say out loud.

She gave an irritable huff. “I want to take him up to my parents for the weekend.”

Charles stared at her in absolute shock for a beat, letting the silence linger to give her a chance to explain herself. She crossed one leg over the other and sat back with a glare, arms folded over her chest. “No. Absolutely not. Are you _kidding_ me?”

“Why not? I’ve hardly seen him since we broke up! It’s not fair! And you’re always there supervising, we can’t bond with you between us!” she accused sharply.

She wasn’t making any sense. “Have you done any training since we discussed it? How would you think you can handle him alone?”

“You were _just_ bragging about how good he’s gotten with not controlling people! You _said_ you’ve been working on it!”

“And we have, but he’s _two!_ What I call progress, you wouldn’t be able to handle without proper shields and safeguards in place.” Even the daycare workers had practice with light shielding and knew how to recognize telepathic manipulation.

“What, are you reading my mind? How do you know what shields I have?” She snapped angrily. t was so hard not to compare her to Elaine and how dedicated she was to staying on the cutting edge of psyonic development for the benefit of Jean. He pinched the bridge of his nose and willed away a developing headache.

“I never read your mind. I know because I offered to pay for your classes so you could be more comfortable around him and you haven’t taken me up on it yet! How can I trust you alone with him when you won’t even try?”

“I’ve taken a class!”

“Really? When? What qualifications do you have to have him alone for a few hours? Much less over night? Or for a long drive, which he hates?” There was something she wasn’t telling him and he was sick of her attitude. “Come on, Reggie what’s this really about?”

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “You can’t come with us this year. It’ll be so awkward with Cain there; we can handle him, Charles. I promise.”

“Cain? Your family? You know our arrangement is for at least one weeks’ notice for visits and two for major holidays.” He didn’t mention that he’d had to hound her to set up this birthday visit in the first place.

“He’s my son! I have every right to see him.”

“You are seeing him, whenever you want. We can set up visits for a full year in advance if you like! But you can’t have overnights unless and until you learn some basic shielding.”

“My mutation provides that.”

“It’s not enough to stop David, especially if he’s _~scared~_ over excited.” Not for the first time he wondered why her shields hadn’t developed along with David’s telepathy.

All his research pointed to that being standard for primary caregivers but particularly the birth mothers of telepaths. Perhaps her mutations impacted their connection in some way.

“Your excuses won’t cut it if we take this to court,” she sneered.

“They’re not excuses, Reggie. And you’d be court ordered to take shielding lessons before you could have him alone. That’s standard practice, lots of people who only have casual contact with telepaths learn shielding, and you even have a leg up with your natural resistance.” He couldn’t understand her reluctance to take this one small step for their son.

Her lip curled in disgust. “I don’t need lessons on how to raise my son.” _~Cain said you’d try to put me off, selfish prick~_

Charles ignored the loud, angry thought and tried not to roll his eyes. “Also, I need to meet any caregivers of romantic partners before you introduce them to Davey.”

“Do I get the same say? Or have you had my son living with your sugar baby for months without my permission?”

“You’ve already met Erik. When can I meet Cain?” he reiterated firmly, he wondered if she remembered meeting Erik at all but wasn't about to ask. 

Her mind flickered like fire at his lack of emotional response. “How about we come to pick him up for the holiday. You meet him and we can all head out? Cain has shielding. He studies magic,” she informed him proudly.

Charles frowned at that, “What kind of magic? Does it react to psyonic abilities?”

She blinked at the question. “Umm, not that I know of. He’s a great guy. He’d never hurt Davey.” She said, eyes bright with hope

This was getting out of hand. “I’m sorry, Regina. Give your family my best. Maybe we can work something out for Christmas.”

She went from hopeful to enraged in the blink of an eye. “This is ridiculous!”

“Just set up a meeting for us. I need to get a basic read on anyone who watches the kids.”

“Kids?”

“David and Lorna,” he said shortly, she was well aware of their family situation but always pretended she had no idea who he was talking about when he mentioned Erik and Lorna by name.

She smirked. “Oh right, your-”

 **“Don’t,”** he cut her off sharply, not wanting to hear her snide remarks about his little girl. “Don’t start. We’re done here.”

Reading his anger she tried to backtrack quickly. “Charles, _please_. Cain thinks it’s weird that he’s never met David! That we never have him over. Everyone at my parents is going to ask about him. _Please_ , Charles. Don’t do this to me.”

He sighed, not wanting to be cruel but not willing to hand over his son to inferior care giving, especially with a strange, magically enhanced man in the mix. “I’m not doing anything to you. You and your lawyer agreed to our arrangement. If you want to make changes have her contact my attorney.”

She blinked back frustrated tears. “Maybe I will, Charles. You wouldn’t like not seeing your baby every day.”

He didn’t think he’d survive it, but he didn’t tell her that. He called the boy over. “Come on Davey, let’s say goodbye.”

“G’byyyee,” he toddled over and smiled at Regina, dimples showing. He looked like little copy of Charles.

He felt a flicker of distaste emanate from her at the sight _~just like his father couldn’t care less about me leaving~_

David didn’t press against the light, support shield Charles held for him during these visits and missed the comment as he’d missed the majority of their conversation.

“Good bye Regina, I hope to hear from you soon,” he lied.

 _~I’ll bet~_ “You will,” she said shortly, ruffling David’s hair with one hand as she strode out the door, already typing angrily on her phone.

“Come on, darling. Did you like your cookie? Should we take some to Vati and Lorna?” he asked, full of false cheer.

“Loraaa eaf cookie!” David said carefully.

“Yes! Great job using your words! Cookies all around!” Charles bundled David into his coat and collected their belongings, taking a moment to shoot a quick email to his  
lawyer about Regina’s threats and requests. He wanted them prepared for anything that came their way.

~~

That night, after all the cookies were eaten and the kids were bathed and put to bed, Charles replayed their conversation for Erik. He was displeased to say the least.

“Do you think she’ll go for custody?”

“I don’t think she wants it. I get the feeling she just want to prove she’s a good mother.”

“Without actually being one,” Erik scoffed.

“Erik-” he began warningly.

“Oh, come on! She sees him less than once a month! I’d drive down every weekend to see Lorna if that was my only chance. And I’d sure as hell take whatever classes I need to be a good father to her. ”

Charles had nothing to say to that. Erik had eagerly learned shielding after the park incident. And had admitted to taking an anger management class in his mid twenties, when his temper got him into trouble one too many times.

“You know I’m right. Who asks to take someone’s child overnight without meeting them? It’s bizarre.”

“I know. I want to meet Cain sooner than later, it’s strange that they want to put it off.”

“Hmmm,” Erik grumbled, mind filled with terrible thoughts about Regina and her new beau.

“Come on, you wanted to cube the bread tonight, right?” Charles leaned in to kiss his bare shoulder, not wanting to get too far into ‘what ifs’

“Yes, it has to dry for the stuffing,” Erik admitted grouchily.

“Then let’s get to it. Thanksgiving will be ruined without it.”

Erik quirked an eyebrow at his words, “you know the rules, dear.”

“Yes. No helping.” Charles playfully rolled his eyes.

“Exactly. No helping.”

“Can I help by watching you and drinking wine?” he asked hopefully.

Erik chuckled and headed for the kitchen, “Only if you pour me a glass.”

~ _I’m way ahead of you, darling~_ he projected as he selected a bottle of red. Hopefully this wouldn’t take too long and they could work off some of this negative energy in a more positive way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Thanksgiving!! XOXO!!

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a weird dream I had caused by someone pounding on my neighbors door while I was dead asleep! Tell me what you think! If I you're interested I may add more chapters, let me know! Comments are love!


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